Operation Shader
Operation Shader is the operational code name given to the contribution of the United Kingdom in the ongoing military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The operation involves the British Army providing ground support and training to allied forces fighting against ISIL, the Royal Air Force providing humanitarian aid airdrops, reconnaissance and airstrikes, and the Royal Navy providing reconnaissance and airstrikes from the UK Carrier Strike group and escort to allied carrier battle groups.
Operation Shader | |||||||
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Part of the Military intervention against ISIL in Iraq, and Syria and Foreign involvement in the Syrian Civil War | |||||||
A Typhoon FGR4 flies over Iraq on 22 December 2015. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United Kingdom | Islamic State | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Former
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Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (Leader of IS) Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi † Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi † Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi † Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi † Abu Alaa Afri † Abu Suleiman al-Naser † Abu Ali al-Anbari † Abu Omar al-Shishani † | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Royal Air Force British Army Royal Navy | Military of ISIL | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
See Deployed forces |
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
3 servicemen killed (2 non-combat) 2 servicemen wounded 8 volunteer SDF fighters killed 2 volunteer aid workers executed 1 journalist missing | 4,013 killed, 302 injured (per UK) |
Additionally, UK Special Forces have reportedly operated in Iraq, Syria and Libya.
By January 2019, the Ministry of Defence stated that 1,700 British airstrikes had killed or injured 4,315 enemy fighters in Iraq and Syria, with one civilian casualty. The RAF had also delivered £230 million worth of humanitarian aid. Overall, the operation had resulted in a net cost of £1.75 billion. The number of airstrikes carried out in Iraq and Syria has been second only to the United States, with a report that the Royal Air Force has conducted 20 per cent of all airstrikes. The operation is the most intense flying mission the RAF has undertaken in 25 years.