OTTAWA — Canadian warplanes have gone into action again in Iraq, bombing a militant compound and bomb-making factory in separate raids over the last few days.
Defence Minister Rob Nicholson announced the news in a conference call today with following the conclusion of the NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels.
Nicholson says one mission took place Wednesday and involved CF-18s hitting a compound that was used as a staging area for extremists who've been launching guerilla-style raids into Baghdad.
Another attack took place Feb. 3, when the Canadian fighter-bombers were supporting Iraqi troops operating southwest of Mosul, the country's second largest city, which was overrun by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant last summer.
Nicholson says the raid destroyed a improvised explosive device factory.
He also condemned the recent, brutal murder of Jordanian air force pilot Mouath al-Kasaesbeh, who was burned alive by his ISIL captors in a grisly execution that was recorded and distributed on the Internet.