PRESS RELEASE | April 6, 2016
April 6: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
April 06, 2016

Release # 20160406-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On April 5, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted four strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 19 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using 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 Hawl, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL mortar system.
* Near Idlib, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Manbij, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Mar’a, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle.

Iraq
* Near Hit, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, six ISIL boats, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL supply cache, an ISIL medium machine gun, and three ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED) and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Kirkuk, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL command and control node, an ISIL bed down location, three ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL VBIED, and an ISIL machine gun.
* Near Kisik, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Mosul, seven strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL financial storage center, and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL supply caches, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL command and control node, and three ISIL assembly areas.
* Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Sinjar, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL supply cache and three ISIL assembly areas.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL VBIED, two ISIL fighting positions, six ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL vehicle, two ISIL mortar systems, and an ISIL tunnel system.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike suppressed 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.