March 22: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

March 22, 2017
Release # 20170322-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Mar. 21, Coalition military forces conducted 29 strikes consisting of 60 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes consisting of 25 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed a well head.

* Near Al Shadaddi, one strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

* Near Ar Raqqah, 18 strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area; destroyed four command and control nodes, three tanker trucks, three ISIS-held buildings, an oil storage tank, a VBIED, an ISIS headquarters, a fighting position, and an ISIS media facility; and damaged four supply routes.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed two well heads and an oil inlet manifold.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of 35 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

* Near Bayji, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building.
* Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed 11 tunnels, 10 fighting positions, three mortar systems, a rocket-propelled grenade system, an artillery system, and a heavy machine gun; damaged 12 supply routes, three fighting positions, three tunnels, and a vehicle; and suppressed four ISIS tactical units.
* Near Tal Afar, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; and destroyed an ISIS headquarters and a VBIED facility.

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.