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

August 20, 2017
Release # 20170820-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA - On Aug. 19, Coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 24 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of six engagements against ISIS targets.
*Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed 10 ISIS oil storage barrels.
*Near Raqqah, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted nine strikes consisting of 18 engagements against ISIS targets.
*Near Al Qaim, one strike destroyed an ISIS supply cache.
*Near Bayji, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.
*Near Rawah, three strikes destroyed two ISIS headquarters, a weapons cache, and a staging area.
*Near Tal Afar, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed seven rocket systems, two command and control nodes, two mortar systems, a VBIED factory, a supply cache, and a front-end loader.

Additionally, 26 strikes consisting of 38 engagements were conducted in Syria and Iraq on Aug. 17-18 that closed within the last 24 hours.
*On Aug. 17, near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed a fighting position.
*On Aug. 18, near Raqqah, Syria, 20 strikes engaged 14 ISIS tactical units, destroyed 14 fighting positions, and damaged a tunnel entrance.
*On Aug. 18, near Tal Afar, Iraq, three strikes destroyed 24 ISIS roadblocks, two VBIED factories, an ISIS headquarters, an ISIS command and control node, and a fighting position, and suppressed three mortar teams.

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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