KUWAIT CITY — Canadian fighter jets and other coalition aircraft have effectively flattened an enemy warehouse in northern Iraq as part of a major night-time operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
The attack took place near Mosul, the embattled country’s second largest city, and was announced Tuesday via news release from Defence Minister Rob Nicholson’s office.
Four CF-18s dropped a total of eight precision bombs on the target, which was being used to train enemy fighters and to build roadside bombs and booby traps for use against Iraqi forces, according to Nicholson’s office.
The attack, which also involved aircraft from other nations, was carried out in the overnight hours Monday to limit so-called collateral damage, said defence officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The officials, who were not authorized to release details publicly, insisted there were no civilian casualties, but would not speculate about whether any enemy fighters were killed. All coalition aircraft returned safely without incident.
It is the third bombing run since Canadian fighter jets began combat operations out of undisclosed bases in Kuwait at the end of October. The jets have flown a total of 52 sorties, National Defence said Tuesday.
Mosul is considered an Islamic State stronghold. Last week, U.S. commanders said the city would be the focus of a major offensive in the coming months designed to root out extremists.