Air drop blunder sees water, food and ammunition intended for besieged Iraqi soldiers delivered to ISIS militants by mistake
ISIS Muslim terrorists - AFP |
The aid drops were meant to help Iraqi soldiers desperately fending off jihadist fighters near Saqlawia in the western province of Anbar.
Hakim Al-Zamili, an Iraqi MP who is a member of the security and defense committee, said the mistake had effectively allowed ISIS to kill off its besieged soldiers.
Because most of the extremist group's weaponry was seized from Iraqi forces during its lightning offensive in June, the extra ammunition would have given its fighters a critical edge in the battle.
Al-Zamili told NBC News: 'Those soldiers were in deadly need of these supplies, but because of the wrong plans of the commanders in the Iraqi army and lack of experience of the pilots, we in a way or another helped ISIS fighters to kill our soldiers.'
A brigadier-general in Iraq's Defense Ministry, who declined to be named, confirmed the incident, which happened on September 19. The officer also put the error down to a lack of experience, saying the pilots are 'all young and new'.
An investigation is being carried out to determine the exact cause of the mistake. The error raises further questions about the effectiveness of Iraq's fledgling air force at a time when the U.S.-led coalition will be depending on its military to help push back the insurgency.
Canada delivering aid DIRECTLY to Kurdish fighters, bypassing the Iraqi government
August 15, 2014 - Canada is sending two military cargo planes to Iraq to help deliver weapons to Iraqi Kurds who are battling Islamic militants, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said.
(Iraq has been reluctant to share weapons with the Kurds, out of fear they will eventually demand a state of their own.)
Unreliable allegiances within the Iraqi military
June 2014 - Iraq crisis: Generals in army 'handed over' entire city to al-Qaeda inspired ISIS forces. Speaking from the Kurdish city of Erbil, the defectors accused Iraqi officers of cowardice and betrayal, saying generals in Mosul "handed over" the city over to Sunni insurgents, with whom they shared sectarian and historical ties.
More on the Kurds on this blog
The only ones doing any serious fighting against ISIS in Iraq, but who are denied proper weapons by the West.
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