Coalition strikes continue against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq

Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and its partners continued to strike Islamic State in designated parts of Syria and Iraq, conducting 15 strikes consisting of 41 engagements last week, task force officials reported today.

The list of strikes published is as follows:

Strikes in Syria

The following strikes took place in Syria:

— On April 12 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of six engagements against ISIS targets, damaging an ISIS-held building.

— On April 11, coalition military forces conducted one strike consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal, destroying three improvised explosive devices.

— On April 9, coalition forces conducted three strikes consisting of three engagements against ISIS targets. Two strikes near Dashisha engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles and a logistics hub, a strike near Shadaddi engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a logistics hub.

— On April 7 near Abu Kamal, a strike consisting of three engagements destroyed a vehicle and a fighting position.

— On April 6, four strikes consisting of five engagements near Shadaddi destroyed two vehicles.

Officials today also reported results of 11 strikes conducted April 5 through March 18 in Syria that were not reported in previous releases:

— On April 5, a strike near Abu Kamal destroyed a logistics hub, three strikes near Shadaddi destroyed a logistics hub and two vehicles, and two strikes near Shadaddi destroyed a logistics hub.

— On March 31 near Abu Kamal, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

— On March 27 near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIS headquartersand a strike near Shadaddi destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

— On March 22, a strike near Abu Kamal destroyed an ISIS headquarters.

— On March 18, a strike near Shadaddi destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

Strikes in Iraq

The following strikes took place in Iraq:

— On April 12 near Qaim, coalition forces conducted a strike against ISIS targets.

— On April 11 near Qaim, coalition forces conducted a strike against ISIS targets.

— On April 8, two strikes near Rutbah destroyed an ISIS-held building and six fighting positions.

— On April 6 near Tuz, a strike destroyed 11 bunkers, two fighting positions, two ISIS-held buildings, two vehicles, four caves and two tunnels.

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group’s ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and ground-based tactical artillery, officials noted. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to ‘one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect’.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.