July 20: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

July 20, 2017
Release # 20170720-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA - On July 19, Coalition military forces conducted 26 strikes consisting of 36 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes consisting of 24 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Abu Kamal, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 14 oil storage tanks, two well-heads, two vehicles and an ISIS-held building.
* Near Al Shadaddi, three strikes destroyed an ISIS mortar system, a mortar position and a front-end loader.
* Near Dayr Az Zawr, five strikes destroyed five ISIS oil separator tanks, three oil storage tanks, two front-end loaders and two vehicles.
* Near Raqqah, eight strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, a supply cache, and a tunnel; and suppressed a mortar team.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of 12 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Al Huwayjah, one strike destroyed an ISIS supply cache.
* Near Kirkuk, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.
* Near Qayyarah, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units, destroyed a boat, damaged an ISIS-held building and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

Additionally, 20 strikes were conducted in Syria and Iraq on July 18 that closed within the last 24 hours.
* On July 18, near Raqqah, Syria, 18 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 18 fighting positions, an anti-aircraft artillery system, a weapons cache, and a sniper position; and damaged a fighting position and a supply route.
* On July 18, near Kisik, Iraq, two strikes damaged four ISIS 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 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.

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