March 13, 2016
Release # 20160313-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST ASIA — On March 12, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL
terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces
conducted six strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted
aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military
forces conducted 12 strikes coordinated with and in support of the
Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and 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, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
*
Near Manbij, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed an ISIL anti-air artillery piece, three ISIL vehicles, an
ISIL mortar position, and an ISIL fighting position.
Iraq
* Near Al Baghdadi, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL rocket position.
* Near Al Qaim, one strike struck an ISIL financial storage center.
* Near Bayji, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units.
*
Near Hit, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed
an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), three ISIL
fighting positions, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Kisik, one strike destroyed an ISIL supply cache.
* Near Mosul, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL used bridge.
*
Near Sinjar, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL assembly area, and an ISIL
rocket 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, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United
States. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Syria include
Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi
Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United
States.