June 17, 2016
Release # 20160617-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST
ASIA — On June 16, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL
terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces
conducted 12 strikes using bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted
aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military
forces conducted 10 strikes coordinated with and in support of the
Government of Iraq using bomber, attack, ground-attack, and fighter
aircraft against ISIL targets.
The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:
Syria
*
Near Manbij, 10 strikes struck nine separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL
mortar system.
* Near Mar'a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions.
Iraq
* Near Al Baghdadi, one strike destroyed an ISIL bunker and an ISIL supply cache.
*
Near Bashir, two strikes destroyed two ISIL bed down locations, three
ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL weapons cache, and three ISIL command and
control nodes.
* Near Fallujah, two strikes struck two separate
ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL heavy machine guns, 10 ISIL
fighting positions, and an ISIL recoilless rifle and denied ISIL access
to terrain.
* Near Mosul, one strike destroyed an ISIL assembly area and an ISIL vehicle.
*
Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an
ISIL vehicle and three ISIL fighting positions and suppressed two
separate ISIL tactical units.
* Near Sinjar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
*
Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical
units and destroyed an ISIL assembly area and an ISIL fighting position
and damaged a separate ISIL fighting 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.
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.