June 01, 2016
Release # 20160601-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST
ASIA — On May 31, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL
terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces
conducted 21 strikes using bomber, 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 bomber, ground-attack, 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 two ISIL oil pump jacks.
*
Near Manbij, 18 strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units, two
ISIL headquarters, two ISIL logistics facilities, an ISIL assembly area,
an ISIL weapons cache, and an ISIL training base and destroyed eight
ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL headquarters, two ISIL vehicles, two
ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL cave entrance, two ISIL communication
towers, an ISIL artillery system, an ISIL ammunition storage facility,
and six ISIL-used bridges and denied ISIL access to terrain.
*
Near Mar'a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL mortar system.
Iraq
*
Near Fallujah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units
and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, five
ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL bunkers, three ISIL weapons caches,
and an ISIL IED and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit and denied ISIL
access to terrain.
* Near Hit, two strikes struck a large ISIL
tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL
vehicle, an ISIL recoilless rifle, and two ISIL boats.
* Near
Mosul, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, 14 ISIL assembly areas, five ISIL
vehicles, an ISIL command and control node, an ISIL vehicle borne
improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility, an ISIL VBIED, four ISIL
weapons caches, four ISIL rocket rails, and an ISIL mortar system and
suppressed a separate ISIL mortar position.
* Near Rawah, one strike struck an ISIL VBIED factory.
* Near Sinjar, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike struck an ISIL refueling station.
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.