May 9: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

May 9, 2017
Release # 20170509-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On May 8, Coalition military forces conducted 27 strikes consisting of 84 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes consisting of 20 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed an ISIS oil rig.
* Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed four ISIS oil tankers and an ISIS well head.
* Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed five weapons storage caches and an ISIS barge.
* Near Tabqah, eight strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units and destroyed five fighting positions.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes consisting of 64 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Al Huwayjah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS-held buildings.
* Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and a sniper; destroyed 12 fighting positions, seven rocket-propelled grenade systems, four medium machine guns, three mortar systems, two VBIED facilitation areas, two front-end loaders, a sniper position, a weapons cache, an IED facility, a roadblock, a VBIED; damaged 13 ISIS supply routes, three fighting positions; and suppressed a mortar position.
* Near Rutbah, two strikes destroyed a bunker and a VBIED facility.
* Near Sinjar, one strike destroyed a weapons cache.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed a VBIED factory.

Additionally, two strikes were conducted in Syria on May 7th that closed within the last 24 hours.
* Near Tabqah, Syria, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a fighting position.

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 ground-based tactical artillery.

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.