A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of four crew members and leaving two missing. A second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely but sustained tail damage.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Friday that “four of the six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased.” The identities of the deceased are being withheld until next-of-kin notifications are complete.
The crash occurred in what CENTCOM designated as “friendly airspace” and is under investigation, with officials stating it was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
In a separate incident near Erbil in northern Iraq, a drone attack struck a joint French-Kurdish Peshmerga base, killing one soldier and injuring six. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the fatality, remarking that “The French soldiers there have no connection to war or conflict. They are simply military advisers legally present in Iraq.”
Regional tensions have been heightened by a series of drone attacks targeting international forces. British forces intercepted incoming Iranian-origin drones in Erbil, and British Defence Secretary John Healey alleged Russian President Vladimir Putin may be involved in the attacks.
