UK drone kills British ISIL fighters in Syria: Cameron

Prime minister David Cameron said the air strike was 'entirely lawful' and the first time in modern history that Britain has used a military asset to conduct such action in a country it is not at war with.

LONDON // Britain has for the first time conducted an air strike in Syria, killing three suspected ISIL fighters including two of its own nationals, despite not having a parliamentary mandate to take military action in the country.

Prime minister David Cameron told parliament on Monday that the group had been planning “barbaric” attacks against Britain and that the August 21 drone strike on a car in Raqqa was legally justified.

Britain conducts regular attacks in neighbouring Iraq and flies drones over Syria to gather intelligence on the hardline ISIL group. Unlike some other coalition partners, it does not target ISIL positions in Syria.

Mr Cameron said that, as an act of self defence, one Briton had been targeted and killed in a precision air strike carried out by a Royal Air Force remotely piloted aircraft in August. Two others travelling with the man – including another Briton – were also killed.

“There was a terrorist directing murder on our streets and no other means to stop him,” Mr Cameron said. “We took this action because there was no alternative.”

The prime minister said the attorney general had been consulted and had approved the drone strike by the RAF.

“I am not prepared to stand here in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on our streets and have to explain to the House why I did not take the chance to prevent it when I could have done,” Mr Cameron said as legislators convened following a summer recess.

Reyaad Khan, the Briton targeted in the air strike, had his assets frozen by Britain’s finance minstry last year after reports that he been involved in terrorism-related activities in Syria.

“There was clear evidence of the individuals in question planning and directing armed attacks against the UK,” Mr Cameron said. “These were part of a series of actual and foiled attempts to attack the UK and our allies.”

Mr Cameron said the air strike was “entirely lawful” and the first time in modern history that Britain has used a military asset to conduct such action in a country it is not at war with.

* Reuters and Associated Press