For the past several months, British strike aircraft have been flying over Iraq, engaging several IS targets in support of Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
Mr Hammond said:
“We’ve always understood that the air campaign alone was not going to be decisive in turning the tide against Isil. But it has halted the Isil advance, it has forced Isil to change its tactics and it is degrading their military capabilities. The heavy work on the ground is going to have to be done by Iraqi forces.”
British soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment are in the Kurdish capital Erbil training peshmerga forces to use weapons supplied by the UK.
Hammond added:
“The action the UK has taken to date, including air strikes and surveillance flights, shows the UK will play its part in standing with the Iraqi people in their fight against IS”
Britain is also calling up about 100 reservists for logistic roles in support of the RAF crews at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
BRITAIN fought TWO WORLD WARS as one UNITED KINGDOM. How easily forgotten that is now especially by Nicola Sturgeon and her ilk .
UNITED we stand and have the SAME beliefs against those evil forces who are causing such suffering and destruction , DIVIDED we FALL