Coordinated UK-French Air Strike Strikes Daesh Arms Cache in Syria
Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of access tunnels leading to the facility... early reports suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces participating in this operation for their skill and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were numerous UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate militants who threaten our security, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "massive strike" against IS targets in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
