An Iraqi Air Force crewmmember and U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Gahan, who serves with the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, secure pallets of humanitarian relief supplies at Balad Air Base, Iraq for delivery to Iraqi citizens who were victimized in a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack March 27 that killed 80 Iraqis, wounded 140 more, and destroyed more than 20 homes. The supplies, including food, tents and other humanitarian relief supplies, were flown to Tal Afar on an Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules March 30. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ken Hall)

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An Iraqi Air Force crewmmember and U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Gahan, who serves with the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, secure pallets of humanitarian relief supplies at Balad Air Base, Iraq for delivery to Iraqi citizens who were victimized in a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack March 27 that killed 80 Iraqis, wounded 140 more, and destroyed more than 20 homes. The supplies, including food, tents and other humanitarian relief supplies, were flown to Tal Afar on an Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules March 30. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ken Hall)

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An Iraqi Air Force crewmmember and U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Gahan, who serves with the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, secure pallets of humanitarian relief supplies at Balad Air Base, Iraq for delivery to Iraqi citizens who were victimized in a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack March 27 that killed 80 Iraqis, wounded 140 more, and destroyed more than 20 homes. The supplies, including food, tents and other humanitarian relief supplies, were flown to Tal Afar on an Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules March 30. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ken Hall)

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From left, U.S. Air Force Air Traffic Controllers Senior Airmen Bryan Gibson and Beau Portman, and Airman 1st Class Justin Hobgood control the take off of an Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules from Balad Air Base, Iraq March 30 loaded with pallets of food, tents and other humanitarian relief supplies for delivery to Iraqis in the city of Tal Afar north of Mosul. Iraqi citizens in Tal Afar were victimized in an insurgent vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack March 27 that killed 80 Iraqis, wounded 140 more and destroyed more than 20 homes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ken Hall)

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An Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules takes off March 30 from the airfield at Balad Air Base, Iraq with pallets of food, tents and other humanitarian relief supplies for delivery to Iraqis in the city of Tal Afar north of Mosul. Iraqi citizens in Tal Afar were victimized in insurgent vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks March 27 that killed 80, wounded 140 more and destroyed more than 20 homes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ken Hall)

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An Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules takes off March 30 from the airfield at Balad Air Base, Iraq with pallets of food, tents and other humanitarian relief supplies for delivery to Iraqis in the city of Tal Afar north of Mosul. Iraqi citizens in Tal Afar were victimized in insurgent vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks March 27 that killed 80, wounded 140 more and destroyed more than 20 homes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ken Hall)

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Iraqi aircrew provides humanitarian relief after bombing

Published March 31, 2007
By Capt. Ken Hall
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNEWS) -- The Iraqi Air Force delivered humanitarian aid to Tal Afar, a community north of Mosul struck March 27 by an insurgent vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack that killed 80 Iraqis, wounded 140 more, and destroyed more than 20 homes.

"Al-Qaeda in Iraq elements once again displayed their total disregard for human life, carrying out barbaric actions against innocent Iraqi citizens in an effort to reignite sectarian violence and to undermine recent Iraqi and coalition successes in improving security in Baghdad," said Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commanding general of Multi-National Force-Iraq, in an earlier press release March 30.

"These horrific attacks demonstrated al-Qaeda's complete rejection of respect for life itself and the Coalition joins Iraqi leaders in condemning these latest acts of cold-blooded murder."

Working together to assuage the damage done, an Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules picked up six pallets of food, tents and other humanitarian supplies from Balad Air Base and delivered them to countrymen in Tal Afar to help the stricken Iraqi community recover from the insurgent attack.

"I'm honored we were able to assist the Iraqi Air Force," said Col. Kevin Bradley, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing director of staff. Members of the 332 AEW's Aerial Port Flight assisted the Iraqi Air Force in loading the cargo for the mission. "It's encouraging to see the strides Iraqis are making and how they're helping themselves."

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