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Press Release | Dec. 3, 2015

Dec. 3: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq

December 03, 2015
Release # 20151203-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Dec. 2, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 14 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 18 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria
* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL check point.
* Near Abu Kamal, three strikes struck three ISIL oil field well heads.
* Near Al Hasakah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL buildings and an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Ayn Isa, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL buildings and an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes struck six ISIL oil field well heads.
* Near Mar'a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle, denied an ISIL tactical vehicle movement, and wounded eight ISIL fighters.

Iraq
* Near Al Huwayjah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and two ISIL heavy machine guns.
* Near Fallujah, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL building.
* Near Mosul, two strikes destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Ramadi, eight strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL tunnel, three ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED), nine ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL light machine gun positions, three ISIL heavy machine gun positions, an ISIL recoilless rifle, an ISIL tactical vehicle and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Sinjar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and two ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Hit, one strike destroyed an ISIL-used bridge.
* Near Tal Afar, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL weapons storage facility, and wounded an ISIL fighter.

Strike assessments are based on initial reports. All aircraft returned to base safely.

A strike, as defined in the CJTF releases, means one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect for that location. So having a single aircraft deliver a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of buildings and vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making that facility (or facilities) harder or impossible to use. Accordingly, 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 strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community.

The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Syria include Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.