On 28 September, Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official) attributed to air force commander Khalid al-Tamimi the claim that Iraqi drones had replaced coalition aircraft on reconnaissance missions. The New Region also reported his broader statement that Iraqi aerial missions operate independently of the International Coalition and that the coalition has conducted no missions in Iraq since the start of the year. The two accounts establish what the commander said, not an independently verified account of every aerial mission.
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official28 Sept, 11:00
“Air force commander: Iraqi drones have replaced International Coalition aircraft on reconnaissance missions.”
قائد القوة الجوية: مسيّرات عراقية حلت محل طائرات التحالف الدولي في مهام الاستطلاع
- The New Region28 Sept, 11:01
“Khalid al-Tamimi said “all aerial missions within Iraq are carried out with complete independence from the International Coalition,” adding that the coalition has not carried out any missions in Iraq since the beginning of the year.”
Khalid al-Tamimi said “all aerial missions within Iraq are carried out with complete independence from the International Coalition,” adding that the coalition has not carried out any missions in Iraq since the beginning of the year.
The reconnaissance claim has a narrower scope than the commander’s reported assertion about all aerial missions; both remain attributed to him rather than to AAH.