PRESS RELEASE | June 1, 2016
June 1: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
June 01, 2016

Release # 20160601-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST ASIA — On May 31, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 21 strikes using bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, ground-attack, 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 Ar Raqqah, one strike destroyed two ISIL oil pump jacks.
* Near Manbij, 18 strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units, two ISIL headquarters, two ISIL logistics facilities, an ISIL assembly area, an ISIL weapons cache, and an ISIL training base and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL headquarters, two ISIL vehicles, two ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL cave entrance, two ISIL communication towers, an ISIL artillery system, an ISIL ammunition storage facility, and six ISIL-used bridges and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Mar’a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL mortar system.

Iraq
* Near Fallujah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, five ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL bunkers, three ISIL weapons caches, and an ISIL IED and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Hit, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL recoilless rifle, and two ISIL boats.
* Near Mosul, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, 14 ISIL assembly areas, five ISIL vehicles, an ISIL command and control node, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility, an ISIL VBIED, four ISIL weapons caches, four ISIL rocket rails, and an ISIL mortar system and suppressed a separate ISIL mortar position.
* Near Rawah, one strike struck an ISIL VBIED factory.
* Near Sinjar, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike struck an ISIL refueling station.

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.