RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January 2018
Updated 31 July 2024
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Saturday 6 January
2 Typhoons conducted a night attack on an isolated building some seven miles north-east of Abu Kamal, used as accommodation by Daesh extremists, including local commanders. A pair of Paveway IVs destroyed the target.
Sunday 7 January
A Reaper once again worked with coalition fast jets over the Euphrates, in support of the SDF. The Reaper observed a group of terrorists assembling under a tree, around twenty miles south-east of Mayadin, allowing a prompt and effective strike by another coalition aircraft, then delivered a further attack using one of its own Hellfire missiles. Following the defeat of Daesh in Iraq, coalition aircraft have remained on call to support the Iraqi security forces as necessary to prevent any attempts by the terrorists to mount further operations in the country, and on Sunday a Typhoon flight was tasked to deal with a group of extremists who had been tracked to a cave some twelve miles north-east of Bayji. A direct hit was achieved with a Paveway IV, killing several terrorists in and around the cave entrance.
Monday 8 January
A Reaper tracked terrorists manoeuvring to the north-east of Abu Kamal and conducted 4 successful attacks, with 3 Hellfire missiles and a GBU-12 guided bomb, against extremists on foot and a Daesh pair moving at high speed on a motorcycle across the desert. 2 Typhoon FGR4s were also active over the area on the same day, and they used Paveway IV guided bombs to demolish a building which had been identified as a terrorist command post.
Tuesday 9 January
Reaper operations over the Euphrates valley continued, when 1 of our aircraft spotted a group of armed terrorists on a rooftop north-east of Hajin, observing Syrian Democratic Forces’ positions through binoculars. A Hellfire missile successfully struck the group, and a second missile was later used to eliminate another Daesh group who had taken up position within a building.
Wednesday 10 January
The following day, another Reaper worked closely with coalition surveillance aircraft and fast jets in a series of strikes in support of the SDF advance. Our aircraft supported coalition air attacks on a Daesh held building and a mortar position, and conducted 3 attacks with its own Hellfire missiles, destroying an armed truck parked under cover of a vehicle shelter, and hitting 2 groups of terrorists on foot. A flight of Tornado GR4s also took part in this operation, and targeted an armed truck positioned within a compound; the use of a Brimstone missile allowed the vehicle to be destroyed without posing a risk to nearby buildings.
Thursday 11 January
A Reaper again patrolled north of Abu Kamal, the crew using the aircraft’s long endurance and sophisticated surveillance sensors to provide overwatch for the SDF on the ground. Three groups of terrorists were successfully attacked with Hellfires, and a fourth missile was employed to kill a Daesh extremist spotted on a rooftop, controlling a small drone of the type used by the terrorists to attempt to spot opponents and conduct harassing attacks with improvised weaponry.
Friday 12 January
Another Reaper continued support to the SDF in this area on Friday 12 January, and its crew conducted attacks with Hellfire missiles on a Daesh held building and a terrorist moving at speed on a motorcycle.
Saturday 13 January
A Reaper worked very closely with another coalition armed reconnaissance aircraft, again to the north of Abu Kamal. Our aircraft spotted a second terrorist drone team launching a quadcopter from a rooftop, and kept close watch on them whilst the coalition aircraft manoeuvred into a suitable firing position from which it successfully attacked the drone team. The Reaper supported a further 2 successful attacks by its coalition companion, and also delivered 5 attacks with 4 Hellfire missiles and 1 GBU-12 guided bomb. These weapons struck 4 buildings and a defensive berm, from which fire had been directed by extremists at the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Sunday 14 January
A Reaper spotted the third terrorist drone team identified during the week; on this occasion, the extremists attempted to conceal themselves in a building, but could be seen controlling the drone from the top floor window. A Hellfire was directed accurately through the window.
Monday 15 January
A Reaper destroyed a lorry-bomb and a terrorist truck in eastern Syria.
Wednesday 17 January
A mixed Tornado/Typhoon flight attacked 3 groups of terrorists in eastern Syria.
Thursday 18 January
2 Reapers struck 6 terrorist targets, including 2 armed trucks, 2 lorry-bombs, a mortar and a Daesh held building, in eastern Syria.
Friday 19 January
Typhoons and Tornados struck 6 terrorist positions and a truck-bomb in eastern Syria.
Saturday 20 January
A Reaper destroyed a Daesh-held building in eastern Syria, whilst Typhoons demolished a second.
Sunday 21 January
A Reaper attacked 3 terrorist targets in eastern Syria, including a group of extremists spotted setting up a potential ambush position.