Role of Gulf state pilots said marginal to ineffective in war on ISIL

Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Gulf Arab partners have conducted a tiny portion of air strikes on Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.

Officials said Arab partners have conducted less than 15 percent of air strikes on ISIL in Iraq and Syria. They said such Arab partners as Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also done little in the area of reconnaissance operations.

Saudi jet fighters. / Fayez Nureldine / AFP / Getty Images
Saudi jet fighters. / Fayez Nureldine / AFP / Getty Images

“This is no surprise as the Arab participation is regarded as political rather than military,” an official said.

[Related: Gulf Arab allies ask U.S. to stop talking about their role in war on ISIL, Oct. 23.

The Defense Department has released figures on U.S. and Arab coalition strikes. In a briefing on Nov. 12, the Pentagon said Arab fighter-jets conducted 56 out of 393 airstrikes over Syria during the last three months. The Pentagon did not say how many Arab air strikes targeted ISIL positions in Iraq.

Officials said the United States has been forced to assume the lion’s share of operations against ISIL.

They said that Arab and other non-U.S. air forces were unable to find their targets during 90 percent of their missions.

In all, the Pentagon reported more than 800 air strikes, firing 2,400 bombs and missiles, from Aug. 8 to Nov. 12. The U.S.-led coalition was also said to have conducted more than 9,000 flights.

NATO states have also joined the war against ISIL. They included Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France and the Netherlands, which conducted 70 out of 470 air strikes on Iraq.

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