ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraqi warplanes are providing air support with the US-led coalition on all the front lines in the battle for Mosul, Iraq’s air force chief said, adding that on Thursday alone his forces had made 67 sorties against ISIS.
“From east to west of the frontlines, the Iraqi and coalition air forces are supporting the ground forces,” General Hamid al-Maliki, the air force chief, told Rudaw.
“On all frontlines there are advances towards Mosul,” he said, adding that on Wednesday and Thursday the Iraqi air force launched about 100 attacks on ISIS on different frontlines
The Iraqi warplanes launched 67 attacks on Thursday, destroying two car bombs in Sharqat and destroying another car with seven militants. In the Qayyara area air attacks destroyed a motorcycle and killed some ISIS militants who were planning to target people from inside homes.
“In Abbasiya village we had destroyed some houses where there were criminals inside, destroyed a car with six ISIS militants and another car bomb was destroyed,” the general added.
He said 27 attacks on ISIS were made Wednesday.
Asked why the Iraqi air force had not provided air support to the Peshmerga in their fierce fight against ISIS in Tel Skof on Thursday, the general blamed lack of coordination.
“There was lack of coordination in Tel Skof and coalition warplanes were late to arrive on time to bomb ISIS,” he said.
He added that there is strong collaboration with the Peshmerga and through Rudaw he sent a message to residents of Mosul that the forces are coming to liberate the city.
“The strong collaboration between the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces in this fight is very obvious and clear,” he said.
“We tell the residents of Mosul that we as Iraqis -- including Arabs and Kurds -- are coming to liberate you.”
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