RAF Drones To Gather IS Intelligence In Syria

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

RAF Reaper drones will fly surveillance missions over Syria, the Defence Secretary has announced.

The missions will start in a matter of days but the drones won't be authorised to fire on targets.

The RAF Rivet Joint spy plane will also expand its area of operations into Syria.

Michael Fallon told MPs in a written statement: "As well as their operations over Iraq, both Reapers and Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft will be authorised to fly surveillance missions over Syria to gather intelligence as part of our efforts to protect our national security from the terrorist threat emanating from there.

"Reapers are not authorised to use weapons in Syria; that would require further permission."

Video: Travelling Through Syria

Britain has 10 Reaper drones.

They have been based at Kandahar airbase in Afghanistan but controlled by pilots based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

Sky News understands they will be moved to an airbase in Kuwait.

They are armed with Hellfire missiles and do have permission to fire at Islamic State forces in Iraq.

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1. Gallery: Human Cost Of Battle For Kobani

   A Syrian Kurdish woman and her children at a refugee camp at Suruc, Turkey. These images have emerged as Islamic State (IS) continues to fight for control of the border town of Kobani in Syria

2. Turkey dropped its refusal to allow Kurdish fighters over the border to defend besieged Kobani, saying it was now helping Iraqi peshmerga to cross the frontier in a major policy shift

3. A woman boils a kettle of tea as her children gather around in Suruc

4. Children try to get warm around the fire

5. Children look out from their tent

6. A Kurdish refugee child from the Syrian town of Kobani sits on a makeshift swing

7. A woman boils a pot of tea in front of her tent

8. The centre of Kobani is seen from near the Mursitpinar border crossing

9. A US-led coalition aircraft flies over Kobani

10. Smoke rises as bullets with tracers fly through the air after an explosion in Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by IS militants

The British Government insists strike missions in Syria can only be carried out with Parliamentary approval but the latest development will encourage accusations of mission-creep.

A Number 10 spokeswoman said: "We are using these assets to enhance our capability to gather intelligence and protect Britain from threats emanating from Syria. 

"The Prime Minister and Government have made clear that we would return to Parliament for a separate decision if we were proposing to take military action. This is about intelligence gathering.

"We've also made clear that, if there was a critical national interest at stake or we needed to act swiftly to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, we would act immediately and explain to Parliament afterwards. I think our approach is consistent with that."

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