The Belgian government decided on Friday to send six fighter jets to bomb the positions of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, reported Belgian broadcaster RTBF.

The six F-16 fighter jets will be sent on operations beginning in July, Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput confirmed to RTBF.

A debate is expected to take place in the federal parliament regarding the decision, it added.

So far, Belgium has only bombed IS positions in Iraq.