US Lands 5 Flights at Qayyarah West Base in Iraq After Repairing Daesh Damage

Five US-led coalition flights have landed at the Qayyarah West airfield since Iraqi and US troops repaired damage to the base after recapturing it from Daesh, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson Col. John Dorrian said in a briefing on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The base, located about 37 miles south of Mosul, will function as a logistics hub for the Iraqi military.

"The airfield at Qayyarah West is now open…five flights have gone into that airfield so far," Dorrian told reporters.

Iraqi forces recaptured the base in July, nearly two years after it was seized by Daesh.

Dorrian said Daesh fighters had destroyed the airfield, but Iraqi, coalition and US Air Force personnel rebuilt it with nearly two million pounds of concrete and other equipment.

On October 17, Iraqi forces supported by Kurdish Peshmerga and US troops began the operation to retake the city of Mosul from Daesh.