PRESS RELEASE | Oct. 3, 2016
October 3: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
CJTFOIR

October 3, 2016
Release # 20161003-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA – On Oct. 2, coalition military forces conducted 34 strikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 14 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery 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 seven ISIL oil storage tanks and two oil well heads.
* Near Al Shadaddi, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed a vehicle.
* Near Ar Raqqah, five strikes destroyed two ISIL oil pump jacks, two oil well heads, a crane, and an oil tanker truck, and damaged four supply routes.
* Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed an ISIL oil tanker truck and damaged four supply routes.
* Near Manbij, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.
* Near Mar’a, seven strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, two VBIEDs, a heavy machine gun, and a vehicle.

Iraq
* Near Bayji, one strike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache and damaged a vehicle.
* Near Hit, one strike destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun.
* Near Kisik, one strike destroyed two tunnel entrances and suppressed a mortar firing position.
* Near Mosul, four strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL headquarters buildings and a front-end loader.
* Near Ramadi, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and a staging area and destroyed four vehicles, a fuel truck, three ISIL-held buildings, a weapons cache, a supply cache, and a mortar system.
* Near Rawah, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle storage area.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed five ISIL-held buildings, and four repeater tower generators; and suppressed a light machine gun.
* Near Tal Afar, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed two tunnel entrances, two ISIL-held buildings, and a vehicle; and suppressed a sniper firing 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, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.