Islamic State militants in northern Iraq have modern portable air defense systems that are capable of shooting down a passenger plane, according to a confidential report given by Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the BND, the members of parliament, the Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported.
Originally provided by Qatar and possibly Saudi Arabia to Syrian rebels, man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems like the Chinese FN-6 have apparently been acquired by the Islamic State.
Iraq’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that an Mi-35M attack helicopter was shot down near Bayji in Salah-al-Din province on October 3. Iraqi officials said a shoulder-fired missile also brought down a Bell 407 utility helicopter in the same area on October 8.
The maximum ranges and altitudes of portable air defense systems vary. Older systems can shoot down slower helicopters and gunships, but not commercial airplanes.
According to the New York Times, a major concern is that militants may acquire SA-24s, a more sophisticated system with a greater ability to hit moving targets such as a plane on its approach to a runway.
Airlines such as Austrian Airlines and Qatar Airways still fly over parts of northern Iraq that are controlled by the Islamic State, the New York Times reported.
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