May 31, 2016
Release # 2016031-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST
ASIA — On May 30, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL
terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces
conducted 11 strikes using bomber, attack, ground-attack, fighter, and
remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq,
coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes coordinated with and in
support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and bomber,
ground-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 Ar Raqqah, one strike destroyed an ISIL oil pump jack.
*
Near Manbij, nine strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
an ISIL improvised explosive device (IED) factory and destroyed 26 ISIL
fighting positions, an ISIL mortar position, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL
supply cache, and three ISIL tunnels.
* Near Washiyah, one strike struck an ISIL weapons production factory.
Iraq
* Near Al Baghdadi, one strike struck an ISIL bed down location and an ISIL weapons cache.
* Near Albu Hayat, one strike struck an ISIL weapons cache.
*
Near Fallujah, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units
and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, five ISIL vehicles, an ISIL
heavy machine gun, three ISIL heavy machine gun positions, two ISIL
recoilless rifles, and an ISIL mortar system and denied ISIL access to
terrain.
* Near Hit, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit
and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL anti-air artillery
piece, an ISIL vehicle, and two ISIL weapons caches and suppressed an
ISIL machine gun position.
* Near Mosul, three strikes struck
three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting
positions, eight ISIL assembly areas, five ISIL vehicles, an ISIL
command and control node, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised device
(VBIED) facility, three ISIL VBIEDs, and an ISIL heavy machine gun and
suppressed an ISIL mortar position and an ISIL light machine gun
position and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Sultan
Abdallah, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an
ISIL vehicle, two ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL mortar system, three ISIL
supply caches, and an ISIL IED factory.
* Near Tal Afar, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit.
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.
Ground-based
artillery fired in counter-fire or in fire support to maneuver roles
are not classified as a strike as defined by CJTF-OIR.
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.