The aerostat was given to the Iraqi military by the US and was used to monitor terrorist movements and to alert about incoming missile attacks.
The Telegram channel Directorate 4, which monitors the situation in Syria and Iraq, has reported that Daesh (banned in Russia) militants have managed to down an Iraqi military aerostat in Salah ad Din Governorate, Iraq, which they obtained from the US. No official confirmation of has been released so far.
The JLENS aerostat is used to detect boats, ground vehicles, cruise missiles, as well as manned and unmanned aircraft. The Iraqi military has been using it to monitor the movements of the terrorist group. It weighs 3 tons and can reach an altitude of 3km.
Daesh invaded Iraq in 2014 and captured the country’s second largest city Mosul, but was later pushed back by the Iraqi military and Kurdish militia, supported by the US-led coalition. In December 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared the end of the country’s fight against Daesh after its military regained control over the border with Syria.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
