Canada To End Anti-ISIL Air Bombing Coalition
KABUL: (MEP) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed Wednesday that Canada will no longer participate in allied airstrikes against the so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) takfiri group, but by confronting the enemy on land.
Speaking at a question-and-answer meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trudeau said Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets would be grounded “in exchange for another way of military involvement, probably around training and such things that can help local troops bring the battle directly towards terrorists,” Canadian media reported.
The remarks by Trudeau come in response to a question about his election campaign promise to end Canada’s role in airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, CTV News reported.
“Countries in the world should look at where their competitive advantages are,” the prime minister said. “We definitely have much more to contribute on helping local militia and troops to be more effective in the direct fight.”
Fighting against ISIL militants would be useless through the air, but by challenging the enemy on land, noted Trudeau.
A date has not yet been set, but Canada was not invited to a meeting Wednesday of defense ministers of several countries that was convened to discuss tactics for 2016 in the war against ISIL.
