Combined Anglo-French Aerial Assault Targets Daesh Arms Cache in the Syrian region
British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a several approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," Healey said. "Including them were numerous UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
