British combat aircraft continue to engage Islamic State forces

British combat aircraft have continued to fly armed reconnaissance missions over Iraq and Syria in the fight against Islamic State.

Typhoon, Tornado and Reaper aircraft have continued to support the Iraqi security forces as they deal with attempts by Islamic State to resume terrorism within the country and provided close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces clearing terrorist pockets in the Euphrates River valley.

Speaking at a Global Coalition campaign update in London, Deputy Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, Major General Felix Gedney, said:

“The campaign against Daesh is not over. We will continue to fight side by side with our international allies until the threat Daesh pose to our security at both home and abroad is eliminated.

The one year anniversary of the atrocious terrorist attack in Manchester this week serves to underline the importance of totally eradicating Daesh and its poisonous ideology.”

A flight of Typhoons were tasked on Wednesday the 9th of May to deal with two terrorists who had been spotted by a coalition surveillance aircraft as they moved on foot in the western desert of Iraq, some 25 miles south-east of Ar Rutbah. The Typhoons successfully located the terrorists and used a single Paveway IV guided bomb to strike them.

The following day say the MoD, another Typhoon flight supported the Syrian Democratic Forces operating in the Euphrates valley. A large building, defended by Islamic State extremists, had been identified to the north-north-west of Hajin. Having checked that there were no signs of any civilian presence in the vicinity, the Typhoons conducted an attack with two Paveway IVs which demolished the terrorist strongpoint.

Typhoons delivered a further attack against Islamic State on Monday the 14th of May; a Paveway IV was employed to destroy successfully a mortar position and ammunition cache which had been spotted in eastern Syria. On Sunday, a pair of Tornado jets were tasked with the destruction of a tunnel complex which terrorists were attempting to reoccupy in the open countryside south-west of Mosul. Three tunnel entrances were identified, and each struck with a Paveway IV say the Ministry of Defence.