Coordinated UK-French Aerial Assault Targets IS Arms Cache in the Syrian region
British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels down to the depot... early reports indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action underscores British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces involved in this operation for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
