RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January 2019
Updated 31 July 2024
© Crown copyright 2024
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-forces-air-strikes-in-iraq-monthly-list/raf-air-strikes-in-iraq-and-syria-january-2019
Tuesday 1 January 2019
Operations continued south-east of Hajin on New Year’s Day, with a Reaper providing overwatch for the SDF. Surveillance support was given to a coalition air strike on a Daesh strong-point, and the Reaper’s crew then tracked terrorists as they attempted to take up new positions, engaging them with a Hellfire missile.
Sunday 6 January 2019
With the SDF pushing further to the south and east of Hajin, along the road to Abu Kamal, a Reaper again flew overwatch for them. The Reaper tracked a Daesh group to a compound some miles north of Abu Kamal, and provided targeting support to coalition fast jets as they subsequently delivered an attack. Two terrorists attempted to take up a new position after the compound was bombed, but were successfully engaged by the Reaper, using a Hellfire missile.
Monday 7 January 2019
Coalition aircraft remain available to assist the Iraqi security forces in their operations to prevent Daesh re-establishing any foothold in the country. An important part of this work is the ability to destroy terrorist stockpiles of weapons and other equipment concealed in remote areas of the countryside. On Monday 7 January, two RAF Tornado GR4s delivered an attack with a pair of Paveway IV guided bombs which successfully collapsed the entrance to a cave, fifty-five miles south-east of Kirkuk, where one such stockpile was known to be stored.
Wednesday 9 January 2019
In Syria, our aircraft have continued to provide close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces as they clear the ever-diminishing pocket of Daesh territory south of Hajin and north of Abu Kamal. Typhoon FGR4s, armed with Paveway IVs, attacked three buildings six miles north-east of Abu Kamal; Daesh fighters in the buildings were engaged in a close-quarters firefight with the advancing SDF. A pair of Tornados meanwhile used two Paveway IVs to deal with a truck-bomb facility in the same area.
Thursday 10 January 2019
The following day, Typhoons struck a further three buildings, again being used as strong-points by Daesh. A Reaper was also patrolling the area, and its crew conducted two successful engagements with Hellfire missiles on Daesh terrorists, including a pair spotted setting up a firing position on a rooftop.
Saturday 12 January 2019
Tornados gave further assistance to the Iraqi security forces, when they were asked to demolish the entrances to a set of tunnels discovered in the countryside to the south-west of Mosul. Each of the three entrances was successfully struck with a Paveway IV.
Sunday 13 January 2019
Tornados were tasked with the destruction of a building five miles north-east of Abu Kamal where Daesh were known to be storing truck-bombs. The building and its contents was destroyed with a single Paveway; the Tornados then bombed a chokepoint on the nearby main road to prevent Daesh from moving any more truck-bombs into the area.
Wednesday 16 January 2019
Tornados bombed a further truck-bomb facility to the north-east of Abu Kamal, then cratering in two places a road leading towards the SDF locations. One of the Paveways used to crater the road caused a secondary explosion, an indication that Daesh had probably planted a booby-trap at that location. Typhoons also flew support for the SDF, striking a Daesh-held building.
Thursday 17 January 2019
Typhoons attacked through cloud two Daesh positions north-east of Abu Kamal which the SDF had under close observation - they confirmed both targets had been hit accurately – whilst Tornados bombed six more terrorist strong-points and firing positions.
Friday 18 January 2019
The SDF encountered a Daesh-held building as they continued their advance near Abu Kamal on 18 January, and found themselves under heavy fire. Two Typhoons were tasked to assist them, and a single Paveway IV removed the threat with a direct hit on the target.
Saturday 19 January 2019
Typhoons and Tornados flew close air support for the SDF north-east of Abu Kamal, and delivered two attacks, striking a terrorist strong-point and eliminating a sniper position.
Thursday 24 January 2019
Two Tornados and two Typhoons provided further assistance to the SDF as they attacked a Daesh-held area on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, a few miles to the north-east and east of Abu Kamal. The Typhoons hit a group of terrorists fighting in the open, as well as two strong-points from which fire was being directed at the SDF, whilst the Tornados hit four such positions. All of these successful attacks used Paveway IV guided bombs.
Friday 25 January 2019
Typhoon and Tornado flights each accounted for a further Daesh-held building north-east of Abu Kamal.
Saturday 26 January 2019
A pair of Tornados struck five positions, all of which had been used by terrorists engaged in firefights with the SDF north-east of Abu Kamal.
Thursday 31 January 2019
Thursday 31 January saw the last operational sorties by Tornado GR4s – a pair flew an uneventful patrol over Syria, recovering safely to RAF Akrotiri at 1400 GMT after a mission lasting 6 and a half hours.