Denmark Withdraws Its Fighter Jets Participating in US-Led Coalition
COPENHAGEN-Denmark said on Friday it would not extend a six-month mission for seven F-16 jets taking part in a US-led coalition allegedly focused on attacking ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq.
The decision came three days after the Pentagon said a September 17th airstrike in Syria’s Deir Ezzour province by American, Australian, British and Danish planes, that claimed the lives of some 90 Syrian soldiers instead of ISIL terrorists, was caused by a string of miscommunications, intelligence shortcomings and human errors.
“We have decided to withdraw the Danish fighter jets as planned,” Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen told journalists after a meeting with parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee, according to AFP.
“Instead of extending the mission we are sending an additional 20 to 21 troops,” he said.
Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen said the new troops would bring engineering and construction skills to the operation.
“They will train Iraqi forces in, among other things, de-mining operations and will help our current contribution within training,” he said in a statement.
The transport aircraft would also be withdrawn from the operation, the Danish government said.
Denmark had seven F-16s in Iraq between October 2014 and October 2015, and in April this year lawmakers voted to expand what it called its fight against ISIS into Syria.
H.M