Feb. 29: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
 
  February 29, 2016
Release # 20160229-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **SOUTHWEST ASIA —** On Feb. 28, coalition military forces
continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition
military forces conducted 12 strikes using ground-attack, attack, fighter, and
remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition
military forces conducted 12 strikes coordinated with and in support of the
Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and fighter and remote 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 gas and oil separation plant.
* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL gas and oil separation plant.
* Near Ayn Isa, three strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed
eight ISIL buildings, an ISIL fuel tanker, an ISIL tactical vehicle, and seven
ISIL vehicles.
* Near Mar'a, three strikes destroyed four ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Tal Abyad, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed two ISIL buildings, an ISIL vehicle, and suppressed an ISIL fighting
position. **Iraq**
* Near Al Baghdadi, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised
explosive device (VBIED).
* Near Fallujah, one strike destroyed an ISIL front end loader and an ISIL
tunnel system.
* Near Kisik, one strike suppressed an ISIL rocket fire position.
* Near Mosul, one strike struck an ISIL VBIED factory.
* Near Ramadi, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL fighting position, two ISIL
staging areas, and two ISIL petroleum, oil, and lubricant trucks.
* Near Sinjar, three strikes destroyed six ISIL fighting positions and suppressed
an ISIL mortar position and an ISIL sniper position.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
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, the 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, the United
Kingdom, and the United States.