UK and France carry out strike on Syrian underground site ‘used by IS’

RAF Typhoons and French aircraft have carried out a joint strike on an underground facility in Syria which had been occupied by the so-called Islamic State, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Guided bombs were used to target a number of access tunnels down to the site, located in the mountains north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the centre of the country, on Saturday evening.

The facility had been used “by Daesh”, most likely to store weapons and explosives, and the surrounding area is devoid of civilians, the UK Government said.

A detailed assessment is under way and there are initial signs that the target was reached successfully, according to officials.

RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to “prevent any attempted resurgence” of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, 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 Daesh.

“I want to thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their courage,” he said.

“They were among thousands of British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”