Embedded UK pilots took part in Syria airstrikes, defense ministry says

July 18, 2015 03:54

British pilots embedded with coalition forces have conducted airstrikes in Syria against ISIS, the UK Ministry of Defence said Friday, despite Britain's Parliament having voted in 2013 against UK military action in Syria.

The Ministry of Defence released the information in response to a request from human rights group Reprieve.

"The UK itself is not conducting air strikes in Syria," a Ministry of Defence statement said.

"But we do have a long-standing embed programme with allies, where small numbers of UK personnel act under the command of host nations. That has been the case in Syria, although there are currently no pilots operating in this region."

The ministry added that "when embedded, UK personnel are effectively operating as foreign troops" and are subject to the mandate of that government.

UK troops have been embedded with French, Canadian and U.S. forces, of which only the latter two have been conducting sorties in Syria.

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