Joint Anglo-French Aerial Assault Strikes IS Arms Cache in the Syrian region
British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The location, located using surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of entry passages down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
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 fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces participating in this strike for their skill and their valour," he said. "They were part of thousands of British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, shows how British military are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
