Iraqi Air Force Denies F-16 Crash During National Sovereignty Day Air Show
The source rejected reports claiming that an Iraqi F-16 fighter jet had crashed in Mosul during the air show, describing the reports as false.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — An Iraqi Air Force source told Kurdistan24 on Friday that no aircraft crashed during an air show held by the Iraqi military to mark National Sovereignty Day and the withdrawal of US and coalition forces from Iraq.
The source rejected reports claiming that an Iraqi F-16 fighter jet had crashed in Mosul during the air show, describing the reports as false.
The source added that all Iraqi Air Force aircraft landed safely following Friday’s air show.
The Iraqi Air Force held air shows in several Iraqi cities on Friday as part of events marking the withdrawal of the international coalition and the Iraqi military’s assumption of full responsibility for the country’s security.
The events followed the formal completion of the US military withdrawal from Iraq on September 30, ending Washington’s 12-year combat mission against the Islamic State (ISIS) under Operation Inherent Resolve.
The withdrawal marked the end of the US military presence in Iraq that began with the 2003 invasion. However, Washington and Baghdad continue to maintain broader security and diplomatic ties.
The US-led coalition began its military campaign against ISIS in Iraq in 2014 after the extremist group seized large areas of the country. Iraqi forces, supported by the coalition, later recaptured the territory held by ISIS and declared victory over its territorial control in 2017.