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Press Release | Oct. 4, 2016

October 4: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq

CJTFOIR

October 4, 2016
Release # 20161004-01 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA – On Oct. 3, coalition military forces conducted 26 strikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.  Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery against ISIL targets.

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria
*       Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed three oil well heads and two oil tanker trucks.
*       Near Al Shadaddi, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions and a vehicle.
*       Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes destroyed three ISIL oil well heads, an oil storage tank, and an oil drum cache.
*       Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed 11 ISIL petroleum, oil and lubricant equipment assets, nine oil tanker trucks, and two oil well heads.
*       Near Idlib, one strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.
*       Near Manbij, one strike destroyed an ISIL machine gun.
*       Near Mar'a, four strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions and a command and control node.

Iraq
*       Near Hit, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 11 vehicles, five ISIL-held buildings, four weapons caches, two VBIEDs, and a heavy machine gun.
*       Near Mosul, four strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units, two staging areas, a VBIED factory, a weapons factory, and a weapons logistics facility and destroyed four vehicles, two weapons caches, two supply caches, a command and control node, and two ISIL-held buildings.
*       Near Qayyarah, one strike destroyed two ISIL vehicles.
*       Near Ramadi, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.
*       Near Sinjar, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a heavy machine gun.
*       Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike destroyed an ISIL repeater tower power supply system.

Strike assessments are based on initial reports.  All aircraft returned to base safely.

A strike, as defined in the CJTF releases, means one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect for that location. So having a single aircraft deliver a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of buildings and vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making that facility (or facilities) harder or impossible to use. Accordingly, CJTF-OIR does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

Ground-based artillery fired in counter-fire or in fire support to maneuver roles are not classified as a strike as defined by CJTF-OIR.

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community.

The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Syria include Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.