Feb. 28: Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq
 
  February 28, 2016
Release # 20160228-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **SOUTHWEST ASIA —** On Feb. 27, coalition military forces
continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition
military forces conducted 12 strikes using ground-attack, attack, and fighter
aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces
conducted 12 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq
using fighter 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 struck an ISIL improvised weapons assembly area.
* Near Manbij, one strike destroyed two ISIL buildings. 
* Near Tal Abyad, 10 strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed 23 ISIL buildings, and suppressed two ISIL tactical units, an ISIL
mortar position, eight ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun
position, and an ISIL rocket fire position.**Iraq**
* Near Fallujah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL
staging area, and two rocket rails.
* Near Kisik, one strike destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Makhmur, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive
device (VBIED).
* Near Mosul, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL rocket rails, and suppressed
an ISIL rocket fire position. 
* Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL financial distribution center.
* Near Ramadi, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and
destroyed an ISIL building, an ISIL fighting position, and two ISIL vehicles.
* Near Sinjar, one strike suppressed an ISIL rocket fire position and an ISIL
heavy machine gun 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.