Canadian warplanes launch first airstrike in Iraq

TORONTO – Canadian warplanes involved in the U.S.-led bombing campaign against militants in Iraq have launched their first airstrikes since deploying to the region.

A statement from Defense Minister Rob Nicholson’s office on Sunday said two fighter jets attacked targets in the vicinity of Fallujah with laser-guided bombs.

The statement said the aircraft safely returned to their base in Kuwait. Few other details have been immediately released.

Canada has deployed six CF-18s along with a C-150 Polaris and two CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft as its contribution to the bombing campaign against the Islamic State group, which has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria.