Coordinated Anglo-French Air Strike Hits Daesh Weapons Depot in the Syrian region
British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their skill and their valour," he added. "They were among a great many British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our security, shows how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" on IS targets in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
