Coordinated British-French Aerial Assault Hits Islamic State Weapons Depot in the Syrian region
RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members deployed over the holidays. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military carried out what it called a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in the country, following an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
