Australian F/A-18F Super Hornets were part of the US-led air offensive that aided in the retreat of Islamic State fighters in the Mount Sinjar region in northern Iraq, the department of defence said on Monday.
The Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga announced that most of Mount Sinjar is back under its control, following months of intense fighting with Islamic State rebels.
Australia’s air task group, along with other coalition members, has engaged in strikes that has weakened Islamic State and degraded its supply chain, commander of the group, Air Commodore Steven Robertson said.
Robertson, who leads Australia’s operation Okra, said Australian Super Hornets supported Peshmerga ground troops facing attack with immediate air strikes.
“With other coalition aircraft, our Super Hornets maintained combat air patrols above the advancing friendly ground forces,” Robertson said.
“The aircrews monitored the ground situation closely, rapidly responding to any ambushes, roadside bombs or counter attacks from [Islamic State].”
Robertson said the air offensive had helped “tipped the balance in favour of Kurdish forces”.
Tens of thousands of people, mostly Yazidi minorities, fled to Mount Sinjar to escape slaughter and enslavement by advancing Islamic State troops in August.
US-led airstrikes on Iraqi Islamic State targets began that same month. Australia pledged its commitment to the offensive in early October. Before that, Australian planes made five airdrops of humanitarian aid to the civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar.
