PRESS RELEASE | May 20, 2016
May 20: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
May 20, 2016

Release # 2016020-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On May 19, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted two strikes using attack 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 bomber, 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 an ISIL oil pump-jack.
* Near Palmyra, one strike destroyed two ISIL vehicles.

Iraq
* Near Al Baghdadi, one strike destroyed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Albu Hayat, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) and an ISIL front end loader.
* Near Ar Rutbah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL heavy machine gun.
* Near Fallujah, one strike destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL heavy machine guns.
* Near Kisik, one strike destroyed four ISIL tunnel systems.
* Near Mosul, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed seven ISIL assembly areas, four ISIL vehicles, an ISIL fighting position, and 26 ISIL rocket rails.
* Near Qayyarah, one strike destroyed four ISIL tunnels.
* Near Sinjar, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL heavy machine gun.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL rocket rail, an ISIL weapons cache, and an ISIL rocket launcher.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed two ISIL bed down locations and an ISIL weapons cache.

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.