Strikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, January 19, 2016 — U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted three strikes in Syria:

-- Near Ayn Isa, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Hasakah, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 21 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

-- Near Huwayjah, a strike struck an ISIL headquarters.

-- Near Kisik, two strikes produced inconclusive results.

-- Near Mosul, five strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, four ISIL fighting positions, and an ISIL cash collection point.

-- Near Qayyarah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Ramadi, nine strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, damaged an ISIL petroleum oil and lubricant tank, and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL sniper position, an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL bunker, and an ISIL tunnel entrance.

-- Near Sinjar, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, and an ISIL assembly area.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is a strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do 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.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

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, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.