Iraqi Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons conduct a training mission over Iraq May 26, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Russ Scalf)
On July 1, the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF) launched airstrikes against hideouts of ISIS cells in the northern area of Hatra, which is located along the administrative border between the northern provinces of Nineveh and Saladin.
In a brief statement, the air force said that the airstrikes were carried out in coordination with the Iraqi National Intelligence Service.
The official Iraqi Security Media Cells released video footage of the pinpoint airstrikes, which were carried out by F-16IQ fighter jets, but didn’t provide any details on their results.
The IQAF stepped up its operations against ISIS in recent months. According to the air force, F-16IQ fighter jets conducted ten combat sorties during June. Two more two more combat and reconnaissance were carried out by AC-208 counter-insurgency aircraft.
Iraq announced the defeat of ISIS in 2017. Since then, the terrorist group’s cells have been waging an insurgency in different parts of the country. The group’s influence is today especially strong in the western, northern and eastern regions.
Recent airstrikes inflicted serious human and material losses on ISIS. However, the terrorist group’s insurgency will not likely end any time soon.
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