PRESS RELEASE | Nov. 21, 2015
Nov. 21: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
November 21, 2015

Release # 20151121-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Nov. 20, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 22 strikes using attack, ground-attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 20 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 Abu Kamal, one strike struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.
* Near Al Hasakah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL building, an ISIL vehicle borne explosive device (VBIED), and four ISIL vehicles.
* Near Al Hawl, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units.
* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint.
* Near Dayr Ar Zawr, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles.
* Near Mar’a, 13 strikes struck 12 separate ISIL tactical units and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL buildings, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL staging area, damaged an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL building, and wounded an ISIL fighter.

Iraq
* Near Albu Hayat, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL buildings.
* Near Bayji, one strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle.
* Near Kisik, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL vehicle, and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Mosul, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL bunker, and an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL weapons cache and three ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Ramadi, six strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL command and control facility, 15 ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL buildings, five ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL recoilless rifle, an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL IED facility, an ISIL resupply warehouse, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Sinjar, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL fighting position, and an ISIL checkpoint.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas.

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, 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, and the U.S.