Posted on 05/16/2008 6:28:24 PM PDT by SandRat
5/16/2008 - SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Members of the Iraqi air force integrated and synchronized with Iraqi special forces in an effort to dissolve the al-Qaida in Iraq influence since early May in Mosul, Iraq.
In less than two weeks, the Iraqi air force members have moved more than 3 tons of cargo and 251 passengers into Mosul using both fixed-wing and helicopter operations.
"It's a new thing for Iraq's air force to back the forces in the Mosul's operations," said General Mohammed al-Askari, a spokesman for Iraq's ministry of defense.
In addition to "bullets and beans" to the ground troops, the Iraqi air force airmen have conducted many intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and have dropped informational leaflets to the citizens of Mosul.
"The air force managed to secure a 24-hour video transmission of all Ninewa's streets and neighborhoods to the Ninewa operations command and to military commanders through a state-of-art system," General Mohammed al-Askari said. "The aircraft are providing the commanders with continued video footages to determine the tension areas and gunmen hideouts."
Members of the Iraqi air force have flown 10 missions, more than 24 hours, in direct support of the operation in Mosul.
"The Iraqi people should be very proud of their air force. They are directly supporting the Iraqi army in the fight against insurgents and criminals," said Brig. Gen. Brooks L. Bash, the Coalition Air Force Training Team commander.
The operation in Mosul is only one of three the Iraqi air force has supported from the sky. Operation Charge of the Knights is still in full swing in Basra, as well as supporting Sadr City security operations, keeping the Iraqi air force members at the forefront of the battlefield for the first time since 2003.
"It is a significant accomplishment for the Iraqi air force to be successfully supporting simultaneous operations in Mosul, Sadr City and Basrah despite the very significant challenges of rebuilding their Air Force," General Bash said.
Awesome news! Thanks for sharing!
Keep the good news coming...love it! Wish that some of this news would filter down to the MSM.
I should have thought of that. It is really maddening that none of the MSM will report on some of the great things that are happening in Iraq. If it is not bad news they are choosing to ignore it. I guess it is up to us to pass it along via emails.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.