RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: March 2019
Updated 16 December 2024
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Saturday 2 March 2019
A Reaper provided close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces as they fought Daesh around Baghuz Fawqani. The Reaper’s crew observed a rocket-propelled grenade being fired from a building, and shortly afterwards a small group of armed terrorists emerged. They were tracked by the Reaper, whilst careful checks were made that no SDF or otherwise unidentified individuals were too close to them, then successfully engaged with a single Hellfire missile.
Tuesday 12 March 2019
Royal Air Force aircraft, alongside other coalition partners, have continued to provide close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attacked the last remaining Daesh stronghold in eastern Syria, at Baghuz Fawqani; Typhoon, Reaper and Sentinel aircraft have flown daily reconnaissance missions, with the Typhoons and Reapers ready to engage targets if requested by the SDF. On Tuesday 12 March, the SDF came into contact with Daesh in dispersed positions, and two Typhoon FGR4s conducted a series of three attacks, using a total of four Paveway IV guided bombs, which successfully silenced the terrorists’ fire. In addition, a large number of vehicles had been abandoned in the area of the fighting, and one large truck in their midst was identified as booby-trapped with an improvised explosive device. The Typhoons were able to pick out and safely destroy this truck-bomb with a single Brimstone 2 missile.
Sunday 17 March 2019
Typhoons conducted an attack when the SDF came under fire at close range from a building held by Daesh in Baghuz Fawqani. The proximity of the SDF to the target required particular careful targeting by the Typhoons’ pilots, but a single Paveway IV demolished the terrorist position with great accuracy.
Monday 18 March 2019
The crew of a Reaper observed two terrorists, who were attempting to conceal their weapons under heavy cloaks, taking up position in a trench at Baghuz Fawqani, and successfully engaged them with a Hellfire missile. Typhoons were also patrolling the area, and they conducted an attack which struck four dispersed Daesh positions simultaneously with Paveway IVs.
Wednesday 27 March 2019
Following the liberation by the Syrian Democratic Forces of the last territory held by Daesh in Syria, Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to fly daily armed reconnaissance missions ready to support both the SDF and the Iraqi security forces to frustrate any attempts by the terrorists to re-establish a presence in either country. On Wednesday 27 March, two Typhoon FGR4s flying from RAF Akrotiri, and supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker as normal, were tasked to assist the Iraqis, who had identified a set of caves used by Daesh in very hilly terrain some thirteen miles east of Bayji. The Typhoons were able to strike the two cave entrances with a Paveway IV apiece.