Canadian jets not over Syria

Photo: wikimedia commons

Canadian military aircraft involved in the fight against Islamic State militants have not flown in Syria for the past few weeks.

While the aircraft have flown dozens of missions over Syria this year, the mission's commander, Brig.-Gen. Daniel MacIsaac, says operations have lately been limited to Iraq.

That appears to coincide with when Russia first warned it would target coalition aircraft flying over Syria, in retaliation for the U.S. shooting down a Syrian government plane.

But MacIsaac says there has been enough work for the Canadian planes in Iraq, where ISIL continues to hold out in different parts of the country despite the liberation of Mosul.

The Trudeau government recently extended Canada's military mission against ISIL until 2019.

Canada has a surveillance aircraft and a refuelling plane in the Middle East as part of its contribution to the U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition.