Dutch F-16s fly over Iraq, bombardments to come

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Dutch F-16 fighter jets have flown over the conflict area in Iraq for the first time on Sunday and are ready to bomb targets of the Islamic State (IS), Dutch Commodore Onno Eichelsheim said.

Eichelsheim, who is in charge of the Dutch mission in Iraq, told local media that Dutch aircraft carried out two flights without using any weapons, adding that the bombing with F-16s will start this week.

The Dutch planes tested their potential for supplying close air support to ground troops and are now ready to be used in the U.S.-led anti-IS campaign, he said.

Eichelsheim added when the Dutch F-16s will attack their first goals will be determined by the command center of the mission in Qatar.

On Sept. 24, the Dutch government decided to send up to eight F-16s and 250 support personnel to join the military mission and support Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces

In the meantime, the Dutch F-16s can be also used for attacks on munition warehouses or military equipments and to bomb mortar positions, tanks and other vehicles.

The United States has been building an international coalition for an air campaign against the IS since first launching air strikes in August.

So far, five Arab nations — Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — have joined the U.S.-led coalition to fight the IS. France and Britain have assisted in the bombing campaign in Iraq, yet they have offered no troops. A Belgian F-16 also attacked a target for the first time on Sunday.