Iraqi aircrew provides humanitarian relief after Tal Afar bombing

  • Published
  • By Capt. Ken Hall
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq --  The Iraqi Air Force delivered humanitarian aid to Tal Afar, a community north of Mosul struck March 27 by an insurgent vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack that killed 80 Iraqis, wounded 140 more, and destroyed more than 20 homes. 

Master Sgt. John Gahan, deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, serves with the Coalition Air Force Transition Team and was part of the C-130 crew that aided the operation.

"Al-Qaeda in Iraq elements once again displayed their total disregard for human life, carrying out barbaric actions against innocent Iraqi citizens in an effort to reignite sectarian violence and to undermine recent Iraqi and coalition successes in improving security in Baghdad," said Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commanding general of Multi-National Force-Iraq, in an earlier press release March 30.

"These horrific attacks demonstrated al-Qaeda's complete rejection of respect for life itself and the Coalition joins Iraqi leaders in condemning these latest acts of cold-blooded murder."

Working together to assuage the damage done, an Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules, which was donated to Iraq last year from Dyess Air Force Base, picked up six pallets of food, tents and other humanitarian supplies from Balad Air Base and delivered them to countrymen in Tal Afar to help the stricken Iraqi community recover from the insurgent attack.

"I'm honored we were able to assist the Iraqi Air Force," said Col. Kevin Bradley, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing director of staff. Members of the 332 AEW's Aerial Port Flight assisted the Iraqi Air Force in loading the cargo for the mission. "It's encouraging to see the strides Iraqis are making and how they're helping themselves."

(Story localized by Airman 1st Class Carolyn Viss)