330 ISIS Militants Killed in British Air Strikes

About 330 Islamic State fighters have been killed in British air strikes since the Royal Air Force began carrying out raids against the group in September last year, Britain's Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said.

"This figure is highly approximate, not least given the absence of UK ground troops in a position to observe the effects of strike activity," Fallon said in a written parliamentary statement.

"We do not believe there have been any civilian casualties as a result of UK strike activity."

Britain has regularly conducted attacks on ISIS targets in Iraq as part of U.S.-led air strikes, but does not take part in raids in Syria after Prime Minister David Cameron lost a 2013 parliamentary vote to approve military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Cameron is keen to win parliamentary backing to extend raids against Islamic State into Syria, with Fallon saying the current position is illogical.

However, some members of Cameron's Conservative party are opposed to expanding air strikes and newly elected opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is a veteran anti-war campaigner meaning he could not be certain of winning a vote.

Earlier this month, Cameron said two British nationals who had been fighting for ISIS had been killed by an RAF drone strike in Syria. He justified this move on the grounds of self-defense, saying one of the men had been plotting to carry out attacks on Britain.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Lucy is the deputy news editor for Newsweek Europe. Twitter: @DraperLucy

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go