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Syria air strikes conducted by UK military pilots Syria air strikes conducted by UK military pilots
(35 minutes later)
UK pilots embedded with coalition allies' forces have been conducting air strikes over Syria against the Islamic State group, it has emerged.UK pilots embedded with coalition allies' forces have been conducting air strikes over Syria against the Islamic State group, it has emerged.
This is despite UK MPs voting in 2013 against military action in Syria.This is despite UK MPs voting in 2013 against military action in Syria.
About 20 personnel, including three pilots, have been embedded with US and Canadian forces, the BBC understands. About 20 personnel, including three pilots, have been embedded with other coalition nations' forces, including the US and Canada, the BBC understands.
UK defence secretary Michael Fallon has recently urged MPs to back UK involvement in Syria and said their approval for action would be needed. Tory MP John Baron said the personnel should be withdrawn as parliament "said no to military intervention".
The Ministry of Defence said the personnel were operating as foreign troops. He told the BBC the government should explain its position as it showed "insensitivity to parliament's will".
In response to a Freedom of Information request, submitted by the human rights group Reprieve, the MoD confirmed that some UK military personnel had been involved in military action against IS over Syrian airspace. "Those troops or individuals should be withdrawn from the embedded programme whilst this vote holds sway, while it stills hold authority, until we vote again," he said.
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. The MoD said personnel embedded with the USA, French and Canadian armed forces had been "authorised to deploy with their units to participate in coalition operations" against IS.
Earlier this month Mr Fallon urged MPs to consider backing air strikes on IS in Syria. "UK embeds operate as if they were the host nation's personnel, under that nation's chain of command," it said.
The MoD said UK pilots were not currently taking part in the region, but ministers would have been aware of their recent role.
The information emerged following a Freedom of Information request submitted by the human rights group Reprieve.
Parliament approved UK bombing of militant positions in Iraq last year.
UK defence secretary Michael Fallon last month urged MPs to consider backing air strikes on IS in Syria.
The UK does not need the authorisation of MPs to launch raids but Mr Fallon has said they will have the final say.The UK does not need the authorisation of MPs to launch raids but Mr Fallon has said they will have the final say.
Labour has indicated it would not oppose military action in Syria. Acting leader Harriet Harman has said the case for air strikes was now different to the situation in 2013, when Labour voted against UK military action in Syria.Labour has indicated it would not oppose military action in Syria. Acting leader Harriet Harman has said the case for air strikes was now different to the situation 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.Britain has already been carrying out surveillance and air-to-air refuelling operations over Syria.
'Insensitivity' 'Sensible'
Sir Michael Graydon, former chief of the air staff, said the exchange programme between the UK and its allies had been happening for "many decades".Sir Michael Graydon, former chief of the air staff, said the exchange programme between the UK and its allies had been happening for "many decades".
"My personal view is that what the government has decided in this particular case under these circumstances is right", he told the BBC."My personal view is that what the government has decided in this particular case under these circumstances is right", he told the BBC.
"There are very few people involved in this, there are none at the moment, the chances are there won't be for another two or three months."There are very few people involved in this, there are none at the moment, the chances are there won't be for another two or three months.
"I just think the practice of this is really much more sensible - to allow them to be embedded and to operate, which is what they have been doing, not to make a huge issue of it.""I just think the practice of this is really much more sensible - to allow them to be embedded and to operate, which is what they have been doing, not to make a huge issue of it."
Conservative MP John Baron, who campaigned against military action in Syria during the last vote, told the BBC the government should explain its position as it showed "insensitivity".
"Those troops or individuals should be withdrawn from the embedded programme whilst this vote holds sway, while it stills hold authority, until we vote again," he said.
"We said no to military intervention, whether we should be intervening or not, the fact is parliament said there should be no military intervention."
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 air strikes 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."
The MoD said UK pilots were not currently taking part in the region, but ministers would have been aware of their recent role.
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 were already doing.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 were already doing.