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04 Apr 17. Iraq and Syria: OP SHADER. On 30 Mar 17 Typhoons attacked three Daesh targets South West of Kirkuk. On 2 Apr 17 Tornados engaged a mortar team firing from a building in Western Mosul. On 3 Apr 17 Tornados and Typhoons engaged Daesh mortar positions in Western Mosul. (MoD, 4 Apr 17.)
At the direction of the President, US Forces conducted a cruise missile strike against Shayrat Airfield in response to the Syrian Government’s chemical weapons attack on 4 Apr 17. A total of 59 Tomahawk Land
Attack Missiles targeted aircraft, hardened aircraft shelters, storage bunkers, air defence systems and radars. Initial indications are that the strike severely damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure and equipment at Shayrat Airfield, reducing the Syrian Government’s ability to deliver chemical weapons. (US Department of Defense (DoD), 6 Apr 17.)
Comment: The US DoD maintained that Russian forces were notified in advance of the above strike and that “US military planners took precautions to minimize risk to Russian or Syrian personnel located at the airfield.” (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 17/15, 10 Apr 17)
The FCO advised (8 Apr 17) that the Foreign Secretary’s planned visit to Moscow on 10 Apr 17 would not now take place given that developments in Syria have “changed the situation fundamentally”. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 17/15, 10 Apr 17)
03 Apr 17. Prime Minister: Visits to Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister visited Jordan (3 Apr 17) and Saudi Arabia (4/5 Apr 17) “to further strengthen the UK’s relationships in the Middle East”. In Amman the Prime Minister announced a new UK-Jordan initiative to tackle the terror threat and develop capabilities to strike at the heart of Daesh. The Prime Minister also confirmed “a plan to improve co-operation in countering violent extremism in the region. Also under discussion was how the UK could build on co-operation with Jordan to manage the fallout from the Syrian conflict. The Prime Minister went on to visit Saudi Arabia, where she stressed the importance of this “close and important ally”. The two countries are to work closely in a range of areas, particularly on counter-terrorism, “where UK-Saudi co-operation is vital”.
Comment: Saudi Arabia is the UK’s largest trading partner in the Middle East, with exports of British goods standing at £4,670m and services at £1,900m in 2015. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 17/15, 10 Apr 17)
03 Apr 17. South Sudan: Royal Engineers Deployed. The MoD advised (3 Apr 17) that the Armed Forces. Minister had visited Bentiu and Malakal on 2 Apr 17, meeting those carrying out engineering tasks in support of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). With around 100 already in country, Royal Engineers are carrying out building tasks in preparation for the main deployment of about 400 soldiers. As more British troops arrive in South Sudan, focus will move to Bentiu where a temporary field hospital will be set up, followed by a permanent hospital. The permanent field hospital will support over 1,000 UN peacekeepers and staff.
Comment: British military support in South Sudan follows a commitment made in 2015 to double the UK’s peacekeeping initiatives, including deploying troops to South Sudan and Somalia. The Government has
recently announced that £100m is to be spent on life-saving support in South Sudan in 2017/18. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 17/15, 10 Apr 17)
31 Mar 17. Portsmouth Harbour: Dredging. The Defence Procurement Minister said (31 Mar 17) that the current approved budget for the dredging works and related activities in Portsmouth Harbour is “around” £60m, inclusive of VAT.
Comment: Hansard for 27 Mar 17 reflects some nine Parliamentary Questions about the Aircraft Carrier programme, but th