Dutch jets carry out first bombings in Iraq against ISIS

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com)- Two Dutch F-16 fighter jets carried out the first Dutch bombardments against ISIS in Iraq on Tuesday, the Dutch Ministry of Defense announced.

The jets threw a total of three bombs on armed ISIS vehicles in the north of the country. The attack destroyed the vehicles and possibly killed ISIS fighters, according to the Dutch Ministry.

On Sunday the Dutch F-16 jets flew over the conflict area in Iraq for the first time to test procedures. At that time no weapons were fired.

The Netherlands deployed eight F-16 jets in the fight against ISIS, of which two are reserve planes. The planes have been deployed to the operation area since last Friday.

A total of up to 380 Dutch soldiers are involved in the operation, 250 for the management of the F-16s and 130 troops to advise and train the Kurdish and Iraqi forces.

Besides providing support for ground troops, the Dutch F-16s can be used to attack munition warehouses or military equipments, bomb mortar positions, tanks and other vehicles.

The Netherlands joined the international coalition mission against ISIS militants with a number of other countries under the leadership of the U.S., including France, Britain, Belgium and some Arab countries.