Combined UK-French Air Strike Hits IS Weapons Depot in Syria
Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," he commented. "They were among thousands of British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate militants who threaten our safety, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.