September 18: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

September 18, 2017
Release # 20170918-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA – On Sept. 16-17, Coalition military forces conducted 94 strikes consisting of 126 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, on Sept. 16, Coalition military forces conducted 40 strikes consisting of 43 engagements against ISIS targets.
• Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS boat.
• Near Raqqah, 39 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 26 fighting positions, two ISIS communications infrastructure items, two vehicles, engineering equipment, an IED, a logistics node, a tactical vehicle, a VBIED factory, and a VBIED; damaged two supply routes; and suppressed four fighting positions.

In Syria, on Sept. 17, Coalition military forces conducted 35 strikes consisting of 49 engagements against ISIS targets.
• Near Abu Kamal, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a logistics node and an ISIS headquarters.
• Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a VBIED and an ISIS headquarters.
• Near Raqqah, 30 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units, destroyed 44 vehicles and 13 fighting positions, damaged 13 supply routes and a VBIED, and suppressed two fighting positions.

In Iraq, on Sept. 16, Coalition military forces conducted eight strikes consisting of 15 engagements against ISIS targets.
• Near Hawijah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed four tunnels, three weapons caches, two fighting positions, an excavator, a tactical vehicle, a generator, and a command and control node.
• Near Rawah, two strikes destroyed two ISIS staging areas and a VBIED production facility.
• Near Rutbah, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two VBIED storage facilities, two vehicles, a tactical vehicle and a command and control node.

In Iraq, on Sept. 17, Coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes consisting of 19 engagements against ISIS targets.
• Near Al Qaim, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a VBIED factory and an ISIS-held building.
• Near Bayji, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two weapons caches and a vehicle.
• Near Hawijah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed five tunnel entrances, two command and control nodes, a vehicle, a weapons cache, and a generator.
• Near Rawah, six strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS-held buildings, an ISIS headquarters, a VBIED factory, a VBIED storage facility, a staging area and a command and control node.

Additionally, 13 strikes consisting of 18 engagements were conducted in Syria and Iraq on Sept. 15 that closed within the last 48 hours.
• On Sept. 15, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, five strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions and a command and control node.
• On Sept. 15, near Raqqah, Syria, five strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroyed two fighting positions, and suppressed three fighting positions.
• On Sept. 15, near Hawijah, Iraq, three strikes destroyed two tunnels, a VBIED, and a command and control node; damaged four supply routes; and suppressed 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.

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