Operation Summary 12-17 April
Wednesday 12 April – Typhoons eliminated a Daesh sniper team in western Mosul.
Friday 14 April – Tornados destroyed a car-bomb in Mosul.
Saturday 15 April – Tornados assisted Iraqi forces inside western Mosul.
Sunday 16 April – Tornados struck a terrorist position and an engineering vehicle in Mosul.
Monday 17 April – Tornados destroyed a heavy machine-gun in Rawah, western Iraq.
Libertaing Mosul
The RAF is continuing to support Iraqi forces in their effort to liberate western Mosul. While the operating environment in the city is very challenging, particularly given the closely-packed buildings, very narrow streets, and the density of the urban population, our aircrew have continued to deliver precision strikes in close support of Iraqi troops on the ground. Daesh’s current tactics, including the illegal use of civilians as human shields, and fighting from sites such as schools, hospitals, religious sites and civilian neighbourhoods, increases the risk to innocent life. While no military operations come without risk, particularly in dense urban environments and against such inhuman Daesh tactics, the RAF continues to take all steps necessary to minimise civilian causalities.
Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to provide intensive air support to the Iraqi troops fighting to clear Daesh from western Mosul. On Wednesday 12 April, two Typhoons came to the assistance of Iraqi troops when they came under fire from a sniper team in Mosul. A single Paveway IV guided bomb successfully dealt with the threat.
Tornados focused their efforts over Mosul, where Iraqi troops identified a car-bomb that had been positioned on a road leading out of the north of the city on Friday 14 April. A Brimstone missile destroyed the booby-trapped vehicle with a direct hit. On Saturday, a further Tornado patrol supported Iraqi forces engaged in a firefight with Daesh positioned in a large building in western Mosul. Two Paveway IVs silenced the terrorist fire.
Easter Day saw two flights of Tornados active over Mosul. Each flight conducted a successful attack with a Brimstone missile, accounting for a terrorist position on top of a building and an engineering vehicle used by Daesh to construct defensive positions. On Monday 17 April, the Tornados operated over western Iraq, where a heavy machine-gun had been spotted, concealed within a grove of trees at Rawah. A single Paveway IV destroyed the weapon.
