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29 Jun 15. Tunisia: Terrorist Attack Death Toll. The Prime Minister informed the House of Commons (29 Jun 15) of the death toll in Tunisia, while also mentioning incidents which had occurred in France, Kuwait and Syria.
An RAF C-17 flew to Tunisia (29 Jun 15) to collect four patients injured in the terrorist attack. Two Critical Care Support Teams travelled with the aircraft.
The first flight to repatriate British victims of the 26 Jun 15 terrorist attack in Sousse took place on 1 Jul 15.
Subsequent flights, to repatriate all 30 British victims, took place on 2, 3 & 4 Jul 15.
A minute’s remembrance was held at noon on 3 Jul 15 across the UK as well as in British Embassies and Posts around the world.
Comment: The FCO confirmed (3 Jul 15) the names of all the British nationals killed in the above attack. A copy of the list of names is available to DNA subscribers, on request. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/27, 06 Jul 15)
24 Jun 15. Iraq: OP SHADER. Overnight on 23/24 Jun 15 Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri, supported by a Voyager tanker, provided close air support to Kurdish Peshmerga in Northern Iraq.
On 26 Jun 15 a Reaper on patrol over Western Iraq destroyed an engineering vehicle with a Hellfire missile.
Iraqi soldiers fighting ISIL in the area of Bayji also received RAF air support.
On 29 Jun 15 a Reaper located and destroyed a bulldozer in Western Iraq. The vehicle was reportedly being used to open up a supply route for the terrorists.
Comment: The MoD continues to report that RAF Tornado and Reaper aircraft are flying daily armed reconnaissance missions in support of the Iraqi Forces. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/27, 06 Jul 15)
29 Jun 15. Sierra Leone: OP GRITROCK. The House of Lords debated Sierra Leone (29 Jun 15), with a particular focus on the Ebola outbreak. Ebola case numbers reduced from a peak of over 500 a week to an average of less than 10 new cases a week. Over 3,000 people are thought to be eligible for a medal which will feature a flame on a background depicting the virus and the words ‘For Service, Ebola Epidemic West Africa.’ (Navy News, July 2015.)
Army medical personnel have trained over 4,000 local healthcare workers on how to protect themselves from
Ebola. (Soldier, July 2015.)
Lieutenant Colonel A (Alison) McCourt QARANC (Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps) has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the latest Operational Honours and Awards List.
Colonel McCourt commanded the Kerry Town Treatment Unit from October 2014 to May 2015. (MoD, 2 Jul 15.)
Comment: The UN reported (2 Jul 15) that three new cases of Ebola had been confirmed in Liberia (where it had been thought that the disease was eliminated). The UN Secretary General’s International Ebola Recovery conference is to be held on 9/10 Jul 15. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/27, 06 Jul 15)
29 Jun 15. Afghanistan: Violence Continues. The Armed Forces. Minister said (29 Jun 15) that the 22nd June attack on the Afghan Parliament was strongly condemned. The Afghan Security Forces had responded positively to the incident and secured the Parliamentary site. The Minister went on to say that the UK.s focus is on “institutional capacity building”, including supporting the training of the next generation of Afghan Army Officers.
Comment: The assault on the Afghan Parliament followed the killing of 16 civilians on 20 Jun 15 who had been travelling in a minibus which struck an improvised explosive device. Together, the attacks claimed at least 18 civilian lives with a further 40 injured. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/27, 06 Jul 15)
02 Jul 15. Abu Dhabi: Crown Prince Calls. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi called on the Prime Minister (2 Jul 15) in Lon