U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Thursday.
A statement issued on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Defense, said officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
According to it, attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 15 strikes in Syria.
It said near Ayn Isa, a strike destroyed three ISIL tunnels.
“Near Dayr Az Zawr, five strikes destroyed six oil pump jacks and an oil tanker truck.
“Near Raqqa, nine strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, four oil tanker trucks, an oil pump jack, an artillery system and a command and control node; and damaged two supply routes.”
The statement explained that in Iraq, attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 10 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government.
“Near Haditha, a strike destroyed a bridge.
“Near Huwayjah, a strike destroyed an ISIL headquarters building.
“Near Mosul, seven strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units; destroyed five ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, four mortar systems, two weapons caches, a supply cache, a communications tower, a vehicle, a command and control node and a rocket and unmanned aerial vehicle factory; damaged 27 supply routes; and suppressed two mortar teams.
“Near Tal Afar, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb factory.”
It added that task force officials defined a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect.
“Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use.
“Accordingly, officials said, they do 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 munitions impact points against a target; Ground-based artillery fired in counter fire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.”
It said the strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve 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 terrorist group’s ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.
Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the U.S., Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. (NAN)
APT/AFA
