MIDEAST-CRISIS/IRAQ ABADI-F16 CEREMONY Iraq receives first four F-16 warplanes from US

Record ID: 146639

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/IRAQ ABADI-F16 CEREMONY Iraq receives first four F-16 warplanes from US
  • Date: 20th July 2015
  • Summary: BALAD, IRAQ (JULY 20, 2015) (REUTERS) F-16 FIGHTER JET ON RUNWAY / MEDIA TAKING PICTURES JET ON RUNWAY IN FRONT OF MEDIA JET'S TAIL WITH IRAQI FLAG PAINTED ON IT IRAQI PILOT GETTING OFF THE JET ARMY OFFICERS AND AROUND FIGHTER JET / IRAQI PRIME MINISTER HAIDER AL-ABADI GETTING IN THE JET ABADI SITTING IN F-16 FIGHTER JET ABADI SPEAKING WHILE SITTING IN JET F-16 ON RUNWAY C
  • Embargoed: 4th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3M3DLV72M3POLSOCLPMO1Z35K
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Iraqi government held an official ceremony for the first delivery of F-16 fighter warplanes by the United States on Monday (July 20).
    Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Defece Minister Khaled al-Obeidi and U.S. ambassador Stuart E. Jones attended the event at Balad air base north of Baghdad.
    Abadi said the delivery of the planes would greatly help the Iraqi pilots "score more victories against terrorists".
    He said the delivery was a sign of international support for and trust in Iraqi forces.
    "Without this trust, there would be no delivery of these advanced fighter jets to Iraq, and there is a real coalition between the forces that defend justice and stand against Daesh," he said, referring to Islamic State militants who have seized large parts of the country.
    Iraq ordered 36 of the $65 million Lockheed Martin Corp planes, but initial deliveries were delayed because of security concerns after Islamic State militants overran large areas of the country last year.
    The United States ambassador to Iraq, Stuart Jones, said the delivery of the 32 more aircrafts will be made once Iraqi pilots and technicians were fully trained.
    The delivery came as Iraqi authorities announced the start of a military operation to drive Islamic State from the province of Anbar, west of Baghdad.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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