The F-16 fighter planes of the Belgian air force are intensifying their raids against the positions of the Islamic State in Iraq. The planes have dropped 354 bombs during the first eight months of the year as part of Operation "Desert Falcon".
This is 84 more than during the whole year of 2016, said Minister of Defense Steven Vandeput (N-VA) in the newspapers Het Belang van Limburg and Het Nieuwsblad today (18 October).
Belgium is part of the international coalition fighting against the Islamic State since October 2014. The Belgian F-16s deployed are not limited to bombing; they also carry out air support missions and reconnaissance flights.
The Council of Ministers decided on 16 June to extend the commitment in the region until the end of the year by when the Islamic State might be definitely defeated. A possible extension of the mission depends on a new political decision.
The Brussels Times
