Former Iraqi pilots train Islamic State fighters to fly MiG jets

[Miss Annie]

Former Iraqi pilots train Islamic State fighters to fly MiG jets
Associated Press
Updated 9:31 pm, Friday, October 17, 2014

See full article and video here

BEIRUT — The Islamic State group is test flying, with the help of former Iraqi air force pilots, several fighter jets captured earlier from air bases belonging to the Syrian military, a Syrian activist group said Friday.

The report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Britain could not be independently confirmed, and U.S. official said they had no reports of Islamic State militants flying jets in support of their forces on the ground.

The new development came as the Islamic State group in Iraq pressed its offensive on the strategic city of Ramadi, west of Baghdad.: Their advance on the Syrian city of Kobani, however, has stalled as the militants have been forced to retreat on several fronts, shifting the monthlong battle increasingly in favor of the Kurdish fighters defending the city, according to commanders and Kurdish and U.S. officials. Dozens of air strikes this week by the U.S.-led military coalition killed hundreds of Islamic State fighters, allowing Kurdish units to regain territory, said Gen. Lloyd Austin, head of the U.S. Central Command on Friday

The Observatory said the planes, seen flying over the Jarrah air base in the countryside of Aleppo province in eastern Syria this week, are believed to be MiG-21 and MiG-23 jets. Rami Abdurrahman, director of the Observatory, said the planes have been flying at a low altitude, “apparently to avoid being detected by Syrian military radar in the area.”

He described the flights as a “moral victory” for the Islamic State group, saying “the jets could not fly much further without being knocked down by the (international) coalition.”

The report on the Islamic State flights in Aleppo added yet another layer of complexity to the Mideast crisis in the wake of the onslaught by the Islamic State militants.

During its blitz, the Islamic State group is known to have seized fighter jets from at least one air base it captured from the Syrian army in the eastern Raqqa province earlier this year. Militant websites had posted pictures of fighters posing next to the fighter jets, but it was unclear if they were operational.

Abdurrahman said Islamic State members were being trained by Iraqi officers who had joined the group and who were once pilots under Saddam Hussein.

In January, Islamic State militants also captured the Jarrah air base in Syria after bitter clashes with rival extremists and Syrian rebel groups. A mix of several Islamic rebel groups battling Syrian President Bashar Assad — including al Qaeda’s Syrian branch, the Al Nusra Front — had seized the base from government troops in early 2013.

Moreover, the militants acquired war planes from al-Tabaqa air base in Syria but did not get any when they toppled the Iraqi military in Mosul, said an Iraqi intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to media.

[twomp]

So with all our satellites pointed at that area. Our great intelligence agencies who monitor my grandma's emails to her church missed ISIS fking airplanes? We can take out Iraq's air force. We can take out Libya's air force but we missed ISIS airplanes? Bippity boppity boo! I guess this would be a good reason to impose a "no fly" zone in Syria now wouldn't it?

[FindLiberty]

it's silly circus time!

[alucard13mm]

I doubt ISIS is flying them to provide air support or interception... I doubt ISIS has the parts and maintenance requirement to keep the planes in the sky, unless Russia, China or USA starts selling them replacement parts.

I imagine it would be used for kamikazee/suicide missions after all the munitions are depleted and looks like it cant be maintained any further.

I think the munitions would be better used to make IED or something than to be used on planes.

[Danke]

A turkey shoot for any first world nation.

[thoughtomator]

I doubt ISIS is flying them to provide air support or interception... I doubt ISIS has the parts and maintenance requirement to keep the planes in the sky, unless Russia, China or USA starts selling them replacement parts.

I imagine it would be used for kamikazee/suicide missions after all the munitions are depleted and looks like it cant be maintained any further.

I think the munitions would be better used to make IED or something than to be used on planes.

ISIS has two enormous potential parts sources just from their buddies in Turkey and Saudi Arabia - AND they also have money to buy what they need from the global arms market. They will not go wanting for parts as long as they are supported by large and wealthy benefactors such as these.

[Miss Annie]

ISIS has two enormous potential parts sources just from their buddies in Turkey and Saudi Arabia - AND they also have money to buy what they need from the global arms market. They will not go wanting for parts as long as they are supported by large and wealthy benefactors such as these.

Most excellent point.

[Dr.3D]

I wonder how many Iraqi pilots are now part of ISIS. Is most of the Iraqi military now part of the ISIS military?

[Miss Annie]

I wonder how many Iraqi pilots are now part of ISIS. Is most of the Iraqi military now part of the ISIS military?

Either that, or headless.

[Dr.3D]

Either that, or headless.

So they won't have any problem keeping the aircraft working. They have all of the equipment the United States left for them to use.

[Miss Annie]

So they won't have any problem keeping the aircraft working. They have all of the equipment the United States left for them to use.

Precisely!