PRESS RELEASE | July 29, 2016
July 29: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
July 29, 2016

Release # 20160729-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On July 28, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 22 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 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 Shadaddi, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device storage area.
* Near Manbij, 19 strikes struck 19 separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 17 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, and two ISIL vehicles.
* Near Mar’a, two strikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, one ISIL rocket rail, and an ISIL vehicle.

Iraq
* Near Habbaniyah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Haditha, one strike destroyed and ISIL bunker.
* Near Hit, two strikes destroyed an ISIL supply cache.
* Near Mosul, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, and destroyed six ISIL assembly areas, six ISIL weapons caches, four ISIL vehicles, three ISIL-used roads, and two ISIL command and control nodes.
* Near Qayyarah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL rocket rails, five ISIL boats, three ISIL mortar systems, and an ISIL rocket system.

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.