About 330 Isis members killed in RAF airstrikes in past year – MoD

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/sep/17/isis-raf-air-strikes-michael-fallon

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An estimated 330 Islamic State members have been killed by RAF airstrikes, the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, has disclosed.

Fallon also said the Ministry of Defence believed there had not been a single civilian casualty in the RAF attacks.

The UK has been engaged since last year in air attacks against Isis targets in Iraq and has conducted a drone strike in Syria.

Related: Syria drone strikes: UK attorney general refuses to disclose advice

In a parliamentary written answer to the Green MP Caroline Lucas, Fallon said the 330 figure was an approximation.

“The estimated number of Isil fighters killed as a result of UK strikes from September 2014 to 31 August 2015 is around 330. This figure is highly approximate, not least given the absence of UK ground troops in a position to observe the effects of strike activity,” Fallon said.

“We do not believe there have been any civilian casualties as a result of UK strike activity. Any overall estimates would be a matter for the coalition.”

The US-led coalition’s air campaign has partially contained Isis, though it has made some territorial gains.

In 2013 David Cameron lost a parliamentary vote to approve military action against the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.

This month Cameron said two British nationals who had been fighting for Isis had been killed by an RAF drone strike in Syria, a move he justified on the grounds of self-defence, saying one of the men had been plotting to carry out attacks in Britain.