Joint British-French Aerial Assault Targets Daesh Weapons Depot in the Syrian region
British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, located using surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of access tunnels down to the site... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as Daesh - established militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among thousands of UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
