The Iraqi Air Force conducted an airstrike near Hajin, Syria, against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorists operating near the Iraq-Syria border today, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials said. 

In a statement announcing the action, officials said the strike was approved by the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the commander in chief of Iraq’s armed forces.

The strike demonstrates Iraq’s commitment to destroy Islamic State remnants who continue to threaten its citizens, task force officials said, adding that the operation was planned and executed by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command with intelligence support from the coalition.

“This operation highlights the capabilities of Iraq’s armed forces to aggressively pursue [Islamic State] and to maintain their country’s internal security,” said US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Robert B. Sofge, the task force’s deputy commanding general of operations.

“The strikes against ISIS gangs were conducted due to the risk posed by these gangs against Iraqi territory, and demonstrates the increased capabilities of our valiant armed forces in the pursuit and elimination of terrorism,” Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s office said in a statement.

“Our heroic forces and fighters, in their pursuit of terrorist gangs, saved many lives and thwarted ISIS plans, dismantling its terrorist death machine. These strikes will help speed up the elimination of these gangs in the region after we eliminated them in Iraq,” it added.”

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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[…] post Iraqi Air Force joins strikes against Syria against Islamic State appeared first on UK Defence […]

Evan P
Evan P
5 years ago

It’s good news but it makes you wonder who the next terrorist group in the Middle East will be. It’s why I’m uneasy about the selling of arms to Iraqi forces, who’s to say they won’t use them against civilians. Assad should serve as a warning, just because a government is in charge, it doesn’t mean that it is a force of good.

Evan P
Evan P
5 years ago
Reply to  Evan P

Whoops there should be a question mark there.

farouk
farouk
5 years ago
Reply to  Evan P

It’s why I’m uneasy about the selling of arms to Iraqi forces, Funny you should mention that, I read this the other day: At the end of 2017 the U.S. withdrew American maintenance and repair technicians working for the Iraqi Army to maintain their force of nearly a hundred M1 tanks. The Americans also stopped supply spare parts of the Iraqi M1s and refused to restore this tech support until Iraq retrieved two M1s still unaccounted for and believed to be held by pro-Iranian PMF militias. The U.S. is also holding up delivery of additional M1s the Iraqis ordered. The… Read more »