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Press Release | Feb. 3, 2016

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

February 03, 2016
Release # 20160203-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Feb. 2, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes using ground-attack, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, 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 Al Hasakah, two strikes destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL tactical vehicle.
* Near Ayn Isa, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes struck four gas and oil separation plants.
* Near Manbij, two strikes destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Mar'a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units.

Iraq
* Near Albu Hayat, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Bayji, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Habbaniyah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL rocket rail and an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Mosul, three strikes destroyed seven ISIL weapons caches, three ISIL assembly areas, and 14 ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Qayyarah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility, and an ISIL logistics facility.
* Near Ramadi, six strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL anti-air artillery piece, an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL recruiting station, four ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL assembly area, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Sinjar, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, two ISIL fighting positions, and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Tal Afar, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

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, the United Kingdom, and the United States.