New Delhi, Jan 04: RAF Typhoon jets joined French aircraft in a joint strike on Saturday evening against an underground facility in Syria previously occupied by ISIS, reports The Independent, London. The site, located in the mountains north of the ancient city of Palmyra, was assessed through intelligence analysis as a former ISIS weapons and explosives storage facility, the newspaper said.
Guided bombs were used to target several access tunnels leading to the underground complex.
The Ministry of Defence said the surrounding area was devoid of civilians and there was no indication of any risk to non-combatants.
All aircraft involved in the operation returned safely. The strike was part of ongoing efforts to prevent a resurgence of the terrorist group. The RAF has continued regular patrols over Syria since March 2019.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the action demonstrated Britain’s leadership and its determination to work closely with allies to counter any revival of Daesh and its violent ideology in the Middle East, the newspaper reported.
He also praised the professionalism and courage of British armed forces personnel involved in the operation.