March 31: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
 
  March 31, 2016Release # 20160331-01FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **SOUTHWEST
 ASIA** **—** On March 30, 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
 25 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq 
using rocket artillery and 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 Hawl, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.*  Near Mar'a, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL defensive fighting positions.**Iraq***  Near Habbaniyah, one strike damaged an ISIL defensive fighting position.*  Near Haditha, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.* 
 Near Hit, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL safe 
house and destroyed two ISIL supply caches, 15 ISIL rockets, three ISIL 
bunkers, and an ISIL tunnel.*  Near Kirkuk, three strikes struck 
two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL assembly areas 
and an ISIL bed down location.*  Near Mosul, eight strikes struck 
five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL assembly 
areas, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL bed down location, two ISIL safe houses,
 an ISIL fighting position, and suppressed two ISIL mortar firing 
positions.*  Near Qayyarah, four strikes struck an ISIL improvised
 explosive device (IED) factory and an ISIL communications facility and 
destroyed an ISIL mortar position and denied ISIL access to terrain.* 
 Near Sultan Abdallah, four strikes destroyed four ISIL assembly areas, 
five ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL tunnel system, and an ISIL 
improvised ferry system.*  Near Tal Afar, one strike struck an ISIL communications facility.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.