March 14: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

March 14, 2017
Release # 20170314-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Mar. 13, Coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes consisting of 104 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes consisting of 20 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Ar Raqqah, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed four fighting positions, an ISIS-held building, and a vehicle; and damaged two supply routes.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes destroyed eight well heads, four pump jacks, and three oil tanker trunks; and damaged two pump jacks and a well head.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted eight strikes consisting of 84 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

* Near Haditha, one strike destroyed three IEDs.

* Near Mosul, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed 27 fighting positions, three rocket-propelled grenade systems, two VBIEDs, an artillery system, a mortar system, a heavy machine gun, a road block, a vehicle and a VBIED factory; damaged 12 supply routes; and suppressed five ISIS mortar teams and two ISIS tactical units.

* Near Tal Afar, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed an ISIS-held building; and damaged three supply routes.

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world.

This Coalition strike release contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing, or remotely piloted aircraft, rocket propelled artillery and some ground based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets. 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.

A strike, as defined in the Coalition release, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect in that location. For example, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined.

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. The information used to compile the daily strike releases is based on 'Z' or Greenwich Mean Time.