Novice Iraqi Army Pilots Drop Arms and Food Supplies to Isis Fighters by Mistake

Iraqi army pilots have accidentally dropped arms and food supplies to Isis militants which were originally meant to be delivered to the starving security forces, as the pilots were said to be "young and new".

The supplies - which include food, water, and ammunition – were supposed to be dispensed in Shaqlawah and the village of al-Sijar in Iraq's western province of Anbar, where scores of Iraqi troops are combating the Isis militants for more than a week.

"Those soldiers were in deadly need of these supplies, but because of the wrong plans of the commanders in the Iraqi army and lack of experience of the pilots, we helped Isis fighters kill our soldiers," lawmaker Hakim al-Zamili, who is also a member of Iraqi parliament's Security and Defence Committee, told NBC news.

An investigation on the incident, which is believed to have taken place on 19 September, is underway.

"Some pilots, instead of dropping these supplies over the area of the Iraqi army, threw it over the area that is controlled by Isis fighters," the Iraqi MP added.

Another Iraqi military official, who did not wish to be identified since he was not authorised to speak to media, was quoted as saying that pilots were "young and new....and they do not have enough experience".

The US, which is spearheading the airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, has not commented on the incident and directed the queries to Iraqi authorities.

The embarrassing episode has come to spotlight when Baghdad is attempting to rebuild the Iraqi forces, which were overpowered by the Isis, with the help of international anti-Isis coalition.