Guided bombs have been used to target access tunnels that lead down to the site buried deep in the mountains near the ancient city of Palmyra
RAF Typhoons have joined French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground facility in Syria which had been occupied by Islamic State, most likely to store weapons and explosives, the Ministry of Defence said.
Guided bombs were used to target a number of access tunnels down to the site, which is located in the mountainous region near the ancient city of Palmyra in the centre of the country, on Saturday evening.
The facility had been most likely used to store weapons and explosives and the surrounding area is devoid of civilians, the ministry said.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK was determined to “stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies” to “stamp out any resurgence” of the terrorist movement, also known as the Islamic State.
He thanked members of the armed forces involved in the operation “to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life.”
Islamic State continue to pose a threat in the UK as well as globally. The Manchester synagogue attacker pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in a 999 call he made during the terror attack, it emerged in October.
Counter Terrorism Policing North West said that Jihad Al-Shamie called 999 himself several minutes after the first report was received about the incident from a member of the public. During the call, the 35-year-old claimed responsibility for the attack and “pledged allegiance to Islamic State”, the force said.
Al-Shamie was shot dead by police outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife and tried to force his way into the building.
In November, the Mirror reported how Islamic State had used artificial intelligence for the first time in a bid to recruit new British jihadists. The terrorist group’s successful deployment of AI to try and attract new followers caused alarm inside the UK’s intelligence agencies.
