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| Iraq crisis: First British air strike carried out | Iraq crisis: First British air strike carried out |
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| RAF fighter jets have carried out their first air strike against Isis in Iraq, the Government has confirmed. | RAF fighter jets have carried out their first air strike against Isis in Iraq, the Government has confirmed. |
| The Tornado jets destroyed a heavy weapons post and vehicle with a mounted machine gun in support of Kurdish troops, the Ministry of Defence said. | The Tornado jets destroyed a heavy weapons post and vehicle with a mounted machine gun in support of Kurdish troops, the Ministry of Defence said. |
| The attacks came as the fighters flew their sixth sortie since MPs voted in favour of UK involvement in the international military campaign against Isis - who call themselves the Islamic State (IS). | The attacks came as the fighters flew their sixth sortie since MPs voted in favour of UK involvement in the international military campaign against Isis - who call themselves the Islamic State (IS). |
| Saturday’s mission was the first since Parliament authorised air strikes against the terrorist group on Friday. | Saturday’s mission was the first since Parliament authorised air strikes against the terrorist group on Friday. |
| Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "I can confirm that the RAF were in action today in support of the Iraqi government in north west Iraq. | Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "I can confirm that the RAF were in action today in support of the Iraqi government in north west Iraq. |
| "Two GR4 Tornados from RAF Akrotiri were tasked to assist Kurdish troops who were under attack by Isil terrorists. | "Two GR4 Tornados from RAF Akrotiri were tasked to assist Kurdish troops who were under attack by Isil terrorists. |
| "They identified and attacked a heavy weapon position that was endangering Kurdish forces and they subsequently attacked an Isil armed pickup truck in the same area. | "They identified and attacked a heavy weapon position that was endangering Kurdish forces and they subsequently attacked an Isil armed pickup truck in the same area. |
| "Both Tornados have now returned safely to their base, and initial assessment is that both attacks were successful." | "Both Tornados have now returned safely to their base, and initial assessment is that both attacks were successful." |
| Earlier, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond responded to reports the IS had come within a mile of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, by insisting that UK forces would not be "panicked" into dropping bombs in Iraq. | Earlier, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond responded to reports the IS had come within a mile of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, by insisting that UK forces would not be "panicked" into dropping bombs in Iraq. |
| "When we do release our weapons we have to be absolutely sure that they are against Isil (IS) targets, that they are not going to kill innocent Sunni Muslim civilians in areas that are occupied by Isil," he told the BBC's Daily Politics. | "When we do release our weapons we have to be absolutely sure that they are against Isil (IS) targets, that they are not going to kill innocent Sunni Muslim civilians in areas that are occupied by Isil," he told the BBC's Daily Politics. |
| "Otherwise we are having the opposite of the effect we are intending to have", he warned. | "Otherwise we are having the opposite of the effect we are intending to have", he warned. |
| Mr Hammond went on say that he did not "particularly regret" admitting during an interview earlier this month that Britain had "no idea" where IS were holding foreign hostages. | |
| "I think they probably would work out that we don't know or we would have done something about it," he said. | |
| However, he also appeared to suggest that the position may have altered since then - saying merely that it "was the truth" at the time. | |
| "I made that comment over two weeks ago and situations can change," he said. | |
| "I tend to think that the best answer to a question is the truth, and in this case that was the truth." | |
| Additional reporting by PA |