Belgian F-16s will return to Syria in 2020

Belgian F-16s will return to Syria in 2020
Credit: Belga

The Belgian F-16s will likely be sent back to Iraq and Syria in the second half of 2020, La Libre Belgique reported on Monday, based on information from Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Didier Reynders. 

Reynders (MR) announced in a parliamentary committee that Belgium intends to send its F-16s back to Iraq and Syria. The deployment would probably take place during the second half of 2020. No sooner, especially due to the “uncertainty” of the next federal government. 

The deployment of F-16s in Iraq and Syria "is not on the short agenda, but it is included in the 2020 Operational Plan," Defence spokesperson Olivier Severin said on Sunday. However, for now, "no-one can say whether the Operational Plan will be validated by the Government or if the F-16 component, in particular, will be validated."

The Operational Plan document is prepared annually by the Defence Staff and usually approved by the Government during the autumn months. However, the current absence of a formal federal executive does not allow to say what will happen to the Plan.

The Brussels Times


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