Denmark pulls fighter jets from Iraq and Syria

Military support in the region will now consist of training and construction troops

Lucie Rychla

The Danish government announced on Friday that it will not extend the military operations of its seven F-16 fighter jets in Syria and Iraq.

The fighter jets, which were used in combat and surveillance and reconnaissance missions, will be withdrawn as planned along with the C-130J transport aircraft in mid-December.

Instead, Denmark will send an additional 20-21 engineering and construction troops to help with de-mining operations and training Iraqi security forces.

READ MORE: Danish fighters drop payload in Iraq

Defeating Isis main priority
“The fight against IS is one of my – and the government’s – main foreign policy priorities,” stated the defence minister, Claus Hjort Frederiksen.

“We must fight IS and their allies militarily, economically and in their propaganda. And we must ensure that people in the liberated areas get support to get back on their feet.”

The Danish fighter jets were deployed to Syria and Iraq in August.

In September, two of them took part in the coalition attack that reportedly killed scores of Syrian soldiers by mistake.

 

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