Iraqi security forces recently encountered a group of Islamic State terrorists in a strong defensive position some twenty five miles south west of Mosul, say the Ministry of Defence.
Coming under heavy small arms fire from the terrorists on the 11th of May, the Iraqi troops requested air support from the coalition, and a pair of Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s responded promptly.
“Liaising closely with the Iraqis, our aircraft attacked the Daesh terrorists with two Paveway IV precision guided bombs. The bombs hit the target and eliminated a number of the Daesh extremists. The Iraqi forces were then able to assault the position successfully and overwhelm the few remaining terrorists.”
What is Operation Shader?
Operation Shader began on the 9th of August 2014, when the Royal Air Force began a series of humanitarian air aid drops onto Mount Sinjar in Northern Iraq.
The air drops were ordered following the genocide of the Yazidi people and other ethnic minorities by Daesh in Northern Iraq, which had led to them fleeing onto the mountainside to escape Daesh.
Following the conclusion of the aid drops, the operation quickly changed to become the UK element in the US-led coalition that began the campaign to destroy Daesh. Based out of Cyprus, the Royal Air Force continues to survey and strike targets in Iraq and Syria as part of the Global Coalition under the banner of Op SHADER.
You can read more about the operation here.
It must be a bummer to get some Paveway dropped on your head and to know that IF you survive that, an infantry assault is next…
Wonder how long it takes to respond to such a request, a long way to come unless they are in theatre waiting for the call.