Iraqi pilots mistakenly drop supplies — instead of bombs — on Islamic State terrorists

By Douglas Ernst - The Washington Times

Members of Islamic State recently received an unexpected surprise from the Iraqi military's inexperienced pilots: an airdrop of food, water and ammunition.

A senior security official told NBC News on Tuesday that an investigation has been launched into how supplies meant for Iraqi soldiers fighting the terrorist group were dropped at the wrong location in Anbar province.

"Those soldiers were in deadly need of these supplies, but because of the wrong plans of the commanders in the Iraqi army and lack of experience of the pilots, we in a way or another helped [Islamic State] fighters to kill our soldiers," said Hakim Al-Zamili, a Sadrist lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament, NBC reported.

Mr. Al-Zamili also works as a security liaison for service members and commanders formed by the religious leader Muqtada Al-Sadr.

A brigadier-general in Iraq's Defense Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the botched military operation, NBC reported. The incident is said to have occurred Sept. 19.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/30/iraqi-pilots-dropped-food-water-and-ammunition-on-/print/