Iraqi air force chief: new F-16s have not flown over Kurdistan

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraq’s air force chief on Friday denied media reports saying Baghdad had flown its newly-acquired F-16 fighter jets over territories controlled by the autonomous Kurdistan Region.

“Kurdistan is part of Iraq and its airspace is Iraq’s airspace, but no F-16 has had to enter Kurdish airspace,” Anwar Muhammad Amin told Rudaw in Baghdad.

He added that the jets would be used in the war against the Islamic State group (ISIS).

The US handed over four F-16 jets to Iraq at its Balad Airbase in Salahadin province in an official ceremony earlier this month. Iraq has ordered 36 such aircraft.