PRESS RELEASE | Feb. 25, 2016
Feb. 25: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
February 25, 2016

Release # 20160225-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Feb. 24, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using 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, two strikes struck an ISIL modular refinery and an ISIL gas and oil separation plant.
* Near Al Hawl, five strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed seven ISIL buildings and an ISIL fighting position.

Iraq
* Near Al Qaim, one strike struck an ISIL improvised explosive device (IED) production and storage facility.
* Near Fallujah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL bunker.
* Near Hit, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).
* Near Kisik, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL light machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Mosul, nine strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL improvised weapons factory, an ISIL IED factory, an ISIL mortar factory, and an ISIL VBIED facility and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions, and ISIL vehicle, an ISIL light machine gun, and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike suppressed an ISIL rocket position.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike suppressed an ISIL light 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.

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, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Syria include Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.