August 31: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

August 31, 2017
Release # 20170831-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA - On Aug. 30, Coalition military forces conducted 31 strikes consisting of 51 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 21 strikes consisting of 41 engagements against ISIS targets.
*Near Abu Kamal, three strikes destroyed eight ISIS oil stills and damaged five supply routes.
*Near Al Hawl, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.
*Near Raqqah, 17 strikes engaged 11 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 15 fighting positions, two command and control nodes, a logistics node, and an IED factory.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes consisting of 10 engagements against ISIS targets.
*Near Al Huwayjah, one strike destroyed two ISIS-held buildings and an explosives cache.
*Near Al Qaim, one strike destroyed an ISIS headquarter.
*Near Tal Afar, eight strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units; destroyed 36 fighting positions, three heavy machine guns, two medium machine guns, two weapons caches, a command and control node, and an ISIS-held building; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

Additionally, 26 strikes consisting of 59 engagements were conducted in Syria and Iraq on June 18 and Aug. 28-29 that closed within the last 24 hours.
*On June 18, near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes destroyed six fighting positions.
*On Aug. 28, near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed five fighting positions.
*On Aug. 29, near Raqqah, Syria, 16 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units and destroyed nine fighting positions, a VBIED, a heavy machine gun, and a command and control node.
*On Aug. 29, near Rawah, Iraq, two strikes destroyed two VBIED facilities.
*On Aug. 29, near Tal Afar, Iraq, two strikes suppressed four ISIS tactical units.

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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