You probably know the United States dropped bombs on ISIS in Syria last week.
How the U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria went down last night – http://t.co/oD8JWM2Lez pic.twitter.com/4xI2Kle1lv — CBS News (@CBSNews) September 24, 2014
You might know Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates joined forces with the U.S. to launch the airstrikes.
United Arab Emirates backs world fight on #ISIL: http://t.co/AuYvnXPjd5 pic.twitter.com/s2X4EyvIFm — Yahoo News (@YahooNews) September 4, 2014
But most of the world doesn’t know the pilots leading those strikes. And one pilot in particular is making history.
Photo: Newscom
Meet Major Mariam Al Mansouri. Not only is she the first female to join the Emirati Air Force, she also served as team leader in the U.S. coalition airstrikes.
Photo: CNN Screengrab
The 35-year-old is also the first woman from any Arab country to attack Sunni terrorists. Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE’s ambassador to the United States, confirmed her involvement:
“She is a fully qualified, highly trained, combat-ready pilot and she is on a mission.”
Photo: Newscom
One of the first women to be allowed into the academy, Al Mansouri graduated from of Khalifa bin Zayed Air College in 2008 and now serves as a squad commander flying F-16 planes. According to The National, Al Mansouri said it was her love for the UAE and her passion for challenge and competition that drew her to the field of aviation — a dream she’s had since she was a teenager.
Photo: CNN Screengrab
Al Mansouri’s advice for women who want to follow her lead?
“…be prepared as it is a time and effort-consuming field that requires a great deal of passion…”
