RAF jets destroy an ISIS warehouse packed with explosives

RAF jets destroy an ISIS warehouse packed with explosives

• The factory was destroyed in a raid by RAF Tornados in bomb attack last week
• In a series of strikes, dozens of jihadists were killed by air force strikes
• Air force planes have targeted the Syrian city of Raqqa, the scene of fierce fighting
•  The warehouse was struck after intelligence officers identified the bomb factory near Hawijah in the Kirkuk province of Iraq

By Dave Burke For Mailonline and Reuters

Published: 12:52 BST, 26 July 2017 | Updated: 13:23 BST, 26 July 2017

A warehouse full of homemade explosives set to be used in terrror attacks by ISIS in northern Iraq has been destroyed in an RAF operation.

In the past week, British air force pilots have also wiped out dozens of jihadists in Iraq and Syria, with sniper posts and terrorist positions targeted in strikes in Raqqa, the capital of ISIS's 'caliphate'.  

The warehouse was struck after intelligence officers identified the bomb factory near Hawijah in the Kirkuk province of Iraq last Wednesday.

The intelligence-led operations have been hailed as a success in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria (Stock picture)

The strike on the bomb factory in northern Iraq was carried by RAF Tornados (Stock picture)

The RAF has said that 'large quantities' of explosives were being stored by the jihadist group, which earlier this month lost control of the Iraqi city of Mosul, which it had controlled since 2014.

A Ministry of Defence statement said: 'A flight of RAF Tornados attacked the building with two Paveway IV guided bombs, and demolished it on Wednesday 19 July.'

THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS: RAF  

Wednesday 19 July - Tornados destroyed an explosives warehouse in northern Iraq, whilst Typhoons and Tornados struck a command post and defensive position in Raqqa.

Thursday 20 July - Typhoons bombed a terrorist position in Raqqa; Tornados and Typhoons attacked terrorists on a Tigris island and destroyed their boat and vehicle transport.

Friday 21 July - Tornados destroyed an observation and sniper post in Raqqa, whilst Tornados and Typhoons hit an anti-aircraft machine gun in the west of Iraq, and an armed truck in the north.

Saturday 22 July - Tornados struck an engineering vehicle in northern Iraq.

Sunday 23 July - Tornados and Typhoons attacked six Daesh positions in Raqqa.

Monday 24 July - Tornados and Typhoons hit three positions in Raqqa.

 

The following day Typhoons bombed an ISIS post in Raqqa, when extremists were firing from a building, and a boat and vehicle transport were destroyed on a Tygris island.

Other successes include the bombing of a grain silo used by ISIS fanatics as an observation and sniper post in Raqqa on Friday, while a fleet of Tornados and Typhoons destroyed an anti-aircraft machine gun and a truck carrying an anti-tank gun.

And on Saturday an engineering vehicle used by terrorist was bombed by a Tornado mission.

Syrian government forces and their allies have recaptured territory from Islamic State in countryside southeast of its stronghold Raqqa after air strikes in the area, a pro-Damascus military media unit and war monitors re ported this week.

The advances towards the provincial boundary between Raqqa and Deir al-Zor took place late on Saturday, the media unit, run by Damascus ally Lebanese Hezbollah, and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The army seized an oil field in the Sabkha area as part of the advance.

It was a rare advance for Damascus's forces in that area, which is close to territory controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-dominated alliance separately fighting Islamic State. It also brings government forces closer to Deir al-Zor province, another Islamic State stronghold.

The battle for the Syrian city of Raqqa has seen fierce fighting as coalition forces try to drive ISIS out

 

 

 

 

 

 

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