Coordinated UK-French Airstrike Targets Daesh Arms Cache in Syria
Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of entry passages leading to the site... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel deployed over the festive period. This operation, to take out militants who threaten our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the American forces executed what it called a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says IS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
