Royal Artillery has joined the ground war against Isis by directing strikes against the terror group in Iraq as it emerges that a forward operating base has been built for the SAS and other troops.
British army personnel played a key role in the recent battle to recapture Ramadi, identifying Isis targets and directing devastating airstrikes.
The details of Britain’s deepening involvement in the conflict emerged as Brigadier James Learmont, a UK artillery officer and deputy commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq, declared that Isis had been “significantly and seriously weakened” by its defence of Ramadi.
The city was largely recaptured by Iraqi forces last week, although large areas were reduced to rubble and pockets of Isis fighters remain on the outskirts.
Tim Ripley has been writing on defence issues since 1990, for a wide range of British and international publications. He has reported from conflict zones in the Balkans and Middle East, as well as major defence and aerospace industry exhibitions around the world. Recent assignments include the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia, the Farnborough, Paris, Dubai and Singapore Airshows, NATO Headquarters in Brussels, The Hague war crimes tribunal and the Pentagon in Washington DC.
His news reporting and features have appeared in the mainstream news media (The Sunday Telegraph, The Economist, The Scotsman) as well as specialist defence publications (Jane's Defence Weekly, Jane's Intelligence Review, Jane's Sentinel, Air Forces Monthly, Air International, Defence Helicopter, Unmanned Vehicles, Flight International, Flight Daily News, World Air Power Journal, International Air Power Review)
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