The U.S.-led coalition says American warplanes have dropped 36,000 kilograms (40 tons) of bombs on an island in the Tigris River “infested” with members of the Islamic State group. The coalition said F15 and F35 warplanes took part in the bombing on Qanus Island in the central province of Salaheddine,
north of the capital Baghdad. Tuesday’s attack is part of operations carried out by Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017. ISIS sleeper cells have since carried out deadly bombings in Iraq. ISIS-controlled large swathes of Syria and Iraq where they declared a caliphate in 2014.
A video released by the military showed massive explosions creating mushroom clouds billowing from the island.
The footage, which appeared to have been subjected to carpet bombing, was captioned with a message from Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) spokesman Col Myles B. Caggins.
It reads: “Here’s what it looks like when @USAFCENT F15 and F35 jets drop 36,000kg of bombs on a Daesh [ISIS] infested island.”
Later in the clip, Iraqi counter-terrorism troops are seen watching over the operation from the ground.
Using the Arabic term for ISIS, Maj Gen Eric T. Hill, added: “We’re denying Daesh the ability to hide on Qanus Island”.
The aerial bombardment was intended to flush out ISIS fanatics and disrupt their “ability to hide in the thick vegetation” on the island.
Maj Gen Hill said last week that attacking ISIS fighters and their support networks was vital to help rebuild war-ravaged country Iraq.
He added: “We know they are hiding in the ungoverned spaces [and that] Daesh is still trying to regenerate.”
