Danish F-16s have killed Islamic State (IS) fighters and bombed several buildings, vehicles and hostile forces in Iraq according to defence minister, Nicolai Wammen, and defence chief, Peter Bartram, reports Jyllands-Posten.
The news comes after prolonged criticism of a lack of transparency from defence concerning Danish involvement in the operation. Though Wammen and Bartram have opened up, details are still scant.
“I have no need to disclose [details],” Bartram told Jyllands-Posten. “I know we have hit buildings and forces and that Danish attacks have inflicted loss on Islamic State.”
READ MORE: Danish F-16's enter the fight against IS
Openness vs. security
Bartram explains that there are “relatively few pilots” who can perform these kinds of missions and so the main concern is to protect the pilots. However, since the joint missions have become so large in number it has become increasingly more difficult to link particular attacks to individual countries or pilots.
Still, Denmark is keeping its cards closer than other countries, such as Belgium, Britain, France, the Netherlands and the US, who have disclosed details on attack dates, cities hit and what’s been hit on the ground.
Bartram has made it clear that he “will not be governed by the press policies” of other countries involved. Wammen agrees explaining that approaches will vary among countries.
Military experts, however, want a more detailed explanation of why other small countries like Belgium and the Netherlands do not consider transparency a threat to their pilots.
Denmark has sent seven F-16s to Operation Inherent Resolve. The aircraft are based in Kuwait and only fly missions over Iraq. Since they flew their first mission on October 16, the aircraft have flown 74 missions and dropped 60 bombs.
