PRESS RELEASE | June 22, 2016
June 22: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
June 22, 2016

Release # 20160622-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On June 21, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 18 strikes using bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and bomber, 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 Abu Kamal, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Ar Raqqah, four strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL headquarters, and an ISIL finance center and destroyed two ISIL oil pump jacks.
* Near Manbij, 12 strikes struck 12 separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, and an ISIL front-end loader.
* Near Mar’a, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Iraq
* Near Bayji, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL improvised explosive device (IED), an ISIL vehicle borne IED, four ISIL rocket rails, two ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL supply cache, and an ISIL anti-air artillery piece and damaged five ISIL berms.
* Near Fallujah, three strikes struck two separate large ISIL tactical units and destroyed 11 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, two ISIL heavy machine guns, five ISIL light machine guns, five ISIL rocket propelled grenade systems, and two ISIL mortar systems and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Kisik, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL tunnel, and three ISIL rocket rails.
* Near Mosul, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, six ISIL assembly areas, and an ISIL rocket system.
* Near Qayyarah, three strikes destroyed three ISIL rocket rails and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Ramadi, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL light machine gun, an ISIL rocket propelled grenade system, an ISIL boat, and three ISIL weapons caches.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun 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.