RAF drone used in killer Syrian strike

A BRITISH drone took part in an air strike that killed dozens of Syrian troops and threatened a fragile truce, officials admitted last night. RAF personnel operating the unmanned aircraft from armchairs thousands of miles away were involved in the blitz that killed as many as 90 soldiers in the east of the country.

The Reaper drone – equipped with Hellfire missiles and 500lb laser-guided bombs – was taking part in a US-led raid over the city of Deir al-Zor on Saturday.

The Ministry of Defence yesterday confirmed RAF personnel were involved, but stressed that the UK would not intentionally target Syrian troops.

At a UN summit in New York, Prime Minister Theresa May said: ‘The UK was part of the coalition air strike that took place.

‘We are now part of the investigation and it’s right that this is properly investigated. But from the UK’s point of view we are there to deal with Daesh [Islamic State]. We would never intentionally strike or focus on Syrian forces.’

It is unclear why it took the MoD several days to confirm the RAF was involved, which has inflamed tensions in the region.

Russia said the strike had put ‘a very big question mark’ over an already shaky ceasefire deal agreed with the US.

Russia is backing Syrian government troops in the country’s civil war, while the US is supporting rebel forces.

The incident is likely to raise fresh doubt over the UK Government’s claim that no civilians have been killed during the campaign.

Tory MP Crispin Blunt, chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, said: ‘It raises concerns about the practicalities of the air campaign. Our committee called for military co-ordination for the battle against Isis...the Russians and Americans should have a joint targeting cell.’

The British Reaper crew are based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire and Creech in Nevada.

Investigators are looking at the intelligence feed from the ground that was handed to the coalition jets before the strike.

Despite the fact the RAF is supporting the US operation, its procedure demands that a British two-star officer approves any engagement, it is understood. In certain circumstances, air strikes require approval by ministers.

On Saturday the Russian Defence Ministry claimed US jets had killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights cited a military source as saying at least 90 Syrian troops were killed. US officials said the strike was intended to target IS and that if it hit Syrian soldiers this was an accident.

But it sparked a row between the US and Russian ambassadors to the UN outside an emergency Security Council meeting. Russian diplomat Vitaly Churkin said: ‘I’ve never seen such an extraordinary display of US heavy-handedness.’

A US Central Command spokesman said the strike, which also involved the Australian air force, was ‘halted immediately’ when Russia informed coalition officials that it was possible those targeted were part of the Syrian military.

‘We’re now part of the investigation’