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

Release # 20160722-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On July 21, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted nine strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, attack, fighter, and ground-attack 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 destroyed an ISIL workover rig.
* Near Manbij, seven strikes struck seven separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL artillery piece.

Iraq
* Near Hit, two strikes destroyed an ISIL mortar cache and an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device.
* Near Kisik, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL vehicle and suppressed a separate ISIL vehicle, an ISIL mortar position, and an ISIL rocket firing position.
* Near Mosul, three strikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL vehicle, ISIL-used engineering equipment, two ISIL mortar systems, two ISIL tunnel systems, four ISIL supply caches, and four ISIL assembly areas.
* Near Ramadi, one strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

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.