mike2000 is back
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2015
- Messages
- 8,513
- Reaction score
- 19
- Country
- Location
RAF Reaper drone backs French Isil air strikes on Raqqa
An RAF Tornado jet also bombed a group of 30 Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) fighters who were preparing to counter attack Kurdish fighters outside Sinjar
An MQ-9 Reaper UAV drone from the British Royal Air Force Photo: EPA
By Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent
12:08PM GMT 17 Nov 2015
A British Reaper drone provided surveillance for massive French air strikes on the Islamic State capital of Raqqa in the wake of the Paris attacks it has been disclosed.
The remotely-piloted aircraft flew over the town feeding back intelligence to French warplanes as they hit around a dozen targets on Sunday night.
Two French Rafale jet fighters fly over Iraq last week Photo: AP
An RAF Tornado jet also bombed a group of 30 Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) fighters who were preparing to counter attack Kurdish fighters during fighting outside Sinjar, the Ministry of Defence said.
The attack with a Paveway IV bomb was described as “highly effective”, with most of the fighters believed to be dead.
Islamic State ride in a convoy through Raqqa in Syria Photo: AP
A statement said the MQ-9 Reaper, which is believed to have been flown from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, “conducted routine intelligence collection against ISIL and provided surveillance support to the major French air strike on a large terrorist facility near Raqqa”.
French jets launched a wave of attacks 48 hours after Isil-linked gunmen and suicide bombers killed at least 132 in a string of attacks in the French capital.
Syrian activists said they counted at least 30 strikes on 12 different targets in the town, which has become the de facto capital of the militants’ extremist caliphate.
Strikes continued early on Tuesday, with France saying it had destroyed a command post and training camp.
An MQ-9 Reaper UAV drone from the British Royal Air Force Photo: EPA
British drones and spy planes regularly make surveillance flights over Syria but David Cameron has said Britain will not join international air strikes without authorisation from Parliament.
A British Reaper from RAF Waddington also accompanied US drones last week then they are believed to have killed Mohammed Emwazi, the British Isil executioner known as Jihadi John.
The MoD said the strike near Sinjar had come as RAF Tornado GR4 jets based at Akrotiri in Cyprus had been covering Kurdish fighters.
The statement said: “The GR4s were able to guide a Paveway [laser guided bomb] onto a large group of over 30 [Isil] terrorists who were massing for a counter-attack; the Kurdish unit subsequently reported that the air strike had been highly effective.
Syria: timeline of British involvement
A timeline of Britain’s involvement in Syria since 2013
August 2013
Parliament recalled to discuss UK response to Syria
A Syrian victim who allegedly suffered a chemical attack at Khan al-Assal village
Following the confirmed use of chemical weapons against civilians near Damascus, Prime Minister David Cameron announces Parliament is being recalled to discuss the UK’s response to Syria.
August 2013
MPs reject military action in Syria
After eight hours of parliamentary debate, MPs reject the government’s motion in support of military action in Syria. Following the vote, Mr Miliband said: “Military intervention is now off the agenda for Britain. There would have been nothing worse than intervention without full international support.”
September 2013
Miliband criticised for Syria position
Former party leader Ed Miliband is criticised for hardening his position over Syria by saying that Labour would only support military action against the Assad regime if Britain’s national security was threatened. A concerned Labour MP said: “I am very worried that this could lead us to a position where Britain is not able to mount a military response if needed.”
September 2014
Cameron: “Strong case” for UK military intervention in Syria
The Prime Minister says military intervention in Syria would be lawful on the grounds of intervening to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. He adds the government would seek Parliamentary approval for the extension of air strikes against IS extremists in Iraq to Syria.
February 2015
UK to play a "leading role" in fight against IS
The UK says that no decision had been made about how it would be involved in the fight against IS, but that it would play a "leading role".
June 2015
Britain moves a step closer to bombing IS targets in Syria
A man prays after laying flowers on Marhaba beach where 38 people were killed
Labour says it would consider backing any military response to the Tunisian beach shootings in which 30 Britons were killed by gunman Seifeddine Rezgui.
July 2015
An RAF Tornado jet also bombed a group of 30 Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) fighters who were preparing to counter attack Kurdish fighters outside Sinjar
An MQ-9 Reaper UAV drone from the British Royal Air Force Photo: EPA
By Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent
12:08PM GMT 17 Nov 2015
A British Reaper drone provided surveillance for massive French air strikes on the Islamic State capital of Raqqa in the wake of the Paris attacks it has been disclosed.
The remotely-piloted aircraft flew over the town feeding back intelligence to French warplanes as they hit around a dozen targets on Sunday night.
An RAF Tornado jet also bombed a group of 30 Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) fighters who were preparing to counter attack Kurdish fighters during fighting outside Sinjar, the Ministry of Defence said.
The attack with a Paveway IV bomb was described as “highly effective”, with most of the fighters believed to be dead.
A statement said the MQ-9 Reaper, which is believed to have been flown from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, “conducted routine intelligence collection against ISIL and provided surveillance support to the major French air strike on a large terrorist facility near Raqqa”.
French jets launched a wave of attacks 48 hours after Isil-linked gunmen and suicide bombers killed at least 132 in a string of attacks in the French capital.
Syrian activists said they counted at least 30 strikes on 12 different targets in the town, which has become the de facto capital of the militants’ extremist caliphate.
Strikes continued early on Tuesday, with France saying it had destroyed a command post and training camp.
British drones and spy planes regularly make surveillance flights over Syria but David Cameron has said Britain will not join international air strikes without authorisation from Parliament.
A British Reaper from RAF Waddington also accompanied US drones last week then they are believed to have killed Mohammed Emwazi, the British Isil executioner known as Jihadi John.
The MoD said the strike near Sinjar had come as RAF Tornado GR4 jets based at Akrotiri in Cyprus had been covering Kurdish fighters.
The statement said: “The GR4s were able to guide a Paveway [laser guided bomb] onto a large group of over 30 [Isil] terrorists who were massing for a counter-attack; the Kurdish unit subsequently reported that the air strike had been highly effective.
Syria: timeline of British involvement
A timeline of Britain’s involvement in Syria since 2013
August 2013
Parliament recalled to discuss UK response to Syria
A Syrian victim who allegedly suffered a chemical attack at Khan al-Assal village
Following the confirmed use of chemical weapons against civilians near Damascus, Prime Minister David Cameron announces Parliament is being recalled to discuss the UK’s response to Syria.
August 2013
MPs reject military action in Syria
After eight hours of parliamentary debate, MPs reject the government’s motion in support of military action in Syria. Following the vote, Mr Miliband said: “Military intervention is now off the agenda for Britain. There would have been nothing worse than intervention without full international support.”
September 2013
Miliband criticised for Syria position
Former party leader Ed Miliband is criticised for hardening his position over Syria by saying that Labour would only support military action against the Assad regime if Britain’s national security was threatened. A concerned Labour MP said: “I am very worried that this could lead us to a position where Britain is not able to mount a military response if needed.”
September 2014
Cameron: “Strong case” for UK military intervention in Syria
The Prime Minister says military intervention in Syria would be lawful on the grounds of intervening to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. He adds the government would seek Parliamentary approval for the extension of air strikes against IS extremists in Iraq to Syria.
February 2015
UK to play a "leading role" in fight against IS
The UK says that no decision had been made about how it would be involved in the fight against IS, but that it would play a "leading role".
June 2015
Britain moves a step closer to bombing IS targets in Syria
A man prays after laying flowers on Marhaba beach where 38 people were killed
Labour says it would consider backing any military response to the Tunisian beach shootings in which 30 Britons were killed by gunman Seifeddine Rezgui.
July 2015
