Britain conducts first air strikes in Iraq

(Baonghean.vn)-On September 30, two British Tornado fighter jets sent to Iraq on September 26 conducted the first airstrike targeting the positions of the Islamic State organization IS.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the strikes were successful but did not specify the exact time or location of the strikes. British warplanes conducted reconnaissance missions before launching the strikes after being called in to support Kurdish forces in their fight against IS in north-west Iraq.

The flag of the IS organization in Rashad, Iraq on September 11 / Photo: Jm Lopez

“Two fighter jets identified and attacked a mortar that was threatening Kurdish forces and then a pick-up truck carrying jihadists,” said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, adding that the two Tornadoes “returned safely to base.”

It is the first time Britain has carried out air strikes in Iraq since the British Parliament passed a government motion authorising air strikes in Iraq on Friday 26 September. Six Royal Air Force Tornados have been sent to Iraq to conduct reconnaissance missions. Since 26 September, the Tornados have flown out of their base in Cyprus five times but have not taken any further action.

Before announcing the first air strikes, Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond stressed that Britain would not rush and would bomb when it had information about jihadist activities. "When we carry out air strikes, we have to be absolutely certain that the targets we are targeting are Islamic State. We are not killing innocent Sunni civilians," Hammond told the BBC.

The minister also insisted that the RAF would not begrudge anyone, especially the French Air Force, which carried out two air strikes on 19 and 25 September in Iraq. “You will not find anyone with any knowledge in the field saying that the French Air Force is superior to the RAF,” he said. “If there is an air force in the world that can reduce the risk of civilian casualties and damage to property, it is the RAF.”

Chu Thanh- Liberation 30/9