PRESS RELEASE | June 21, 2016
June 21: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
June 21, 2016

Release # 20160621-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On June 20, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and bomber, attack, 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 Al Shadaddi, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).
* Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes struck an ISIL-used bridge and destroyed five ISIL oil pump jacks.
* Near Manbij, 13 strikes struck 12 separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL vehicles and damaged a separate ISIL fighting position.

Iraq
* Near Al Baghdadi, two strikes destroyed an ISIL boat and an ISIL mortar system.
* Near Bayji, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, two ISIL vehicles, two ISIL VBIEDs, and an ISIL tunnel system and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Fallujah, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL heavy machine gun, seven ISIL light machine guns, and an ISIL rocket propelled grenade system and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Kisik, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area and an ISIL weapons cache.
* Near Mosul, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL tunnel.
* Near Qayyarah, six strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL bunkers, two ISIL tunnel entrances, an ISIL command and control node, two ISIL mortar systems, and six ISIL boats and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Ramadi, one strike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike destroyed an ISIL boat.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed an ISIL bunker, four ISIL weapons caches, an ISIL assembly area, and an ISIL bed down location.

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.