PRESS RELEASE | Nov. 22, 2015
Nov. 22: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
November 22, 2015

Release # 20151122-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On Nov. 21, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted nine strikes using ground-attack, attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, attack, ground-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 Hasakah, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, three ISIL structures, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), damaged an ISIL structure, and wounded ISIL fighters.
* Near Al Hawl, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and wounded ISIL fighters.
* Near Mar’a, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Iraq
* Near Haditha, one strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle.
* Near Hit, one strike denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Kisik, one strike destroyed an ISIL bunker.
* Near Mosul, one strike destroyed an ISIL artillery piece.
* Near Ramadi, five strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL IED obstacles, two ISIL fighting positions, six ISIL heavy machine gun positions, two ISIL vehicles, three ISIL weapon caches, an ISIL staging area, an ISIL VBIED, cratered an ISIL road, suppressed an ISIL rocket position, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Sinjar, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL mortar position and an ISIL checkpoint.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Tikrit, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL fighting position, and four ISIL vehicles.

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.