UK military pilots conduct Syria airstrikes

UK pilots embedded with coalition allies’ forces have conducted airstrikes over Syria.

The nations include the US and Canada, who have taken part in strikes – but the British House of Commons voted in 2013 against military action in Syria.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said MPs’ approval would be needed before any new UK action in Syria.

“When embedded, UK personnel are effectively operating as foreign troops,” the Ministry of Defence said.

BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said: “Answering a Freedom of Information request, submitted by the human rights group Reprieve, the Ministry of Defence confirms that some UK military personnel have already been involved in military action against IS over Syrian airspace.

“The MoD says those British military personnel embedded with US, Canadian and French forces and under their chain of command have been authorised to take part in those nations’ operations. The US and Canada have been involved in airstrikes over Syria.”

Parliament approved UK bombing of militant positions in Iraq last year. However, MPs were not asked at the time to authorise strikes across the border in Syria.

Labour has indicated it would not oppose military action in Syria as it did in 2013. Acting leader Harriet Harman has said the situation was different from that in 2013, when Labour voted against UK military action in Syria.

Britain has already been carrying out surveillance and air-to-air refuelling operations over Syria.

A spokesman for the MoD, which refers to IS as ISIL, said: “The UK is contributing to the anti-ISIL coalition air campaign against ISIL targets in Syria through the provision of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“ISIL poses a direct threat to the UK and to countries around the world. The UK is not conducting airstrikes in Syria and the government has made clear it would return to Parliament if it proposed doing so.

“We have a long-standing embed programme with allies but there are currently no pilots taking part in this region. When embedded, UK personnel are effectively operating as foreign troops.”

Though the MoD says UK pilots are not currently taking part in the region, ministers “will have been informed about their recent involvement”, our correspondent added.

Reprieve said the debate about whether the UK should expand its military action to include Syria was now obsolete and that the government should “come clean” about what its armed forces are already doing.