January 16, 2016
Release # 20160116-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Jan. 15, coalition military forces
continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition
military forces conducted 11 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 rocket
artillery and attack, fighter, bomber, 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 Abu Kamal, one strike struck an ISIL-used bridge.
* Near Al Hasakah, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL
vehicle and wounded an ISIL fighter.
* Near Ayn Isa, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL bed down location, and wounded an ISIL
fighter.
* Near Mar'a, five strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and wounded
an ISIL fighter.
Iraq
* Near Al Huwayjah, one strike struck an ISIL headquarters.
* Near Albu Hayat, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised
explosive device (VBIED).
* Near Kisik, one strike denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Mosul, eight strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed an ISIL vehicle, two ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL-used
culverts, 12 ISIL assembly areas, five ISIL command and control nodes, an ISIL
bunker, an ISIL weapons cache, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Ramadi, six strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed an ISIL building, an ISIL VBIED, four ISIL staging areas, cratered
two ISIL-used roads, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed three ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL
VBIED.
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.