Actions to counter ISIL

For the latest information on the UK government’s action to counter

ISIL

, visit our topical event page

On Friday 26 September the Prime Minister spoke in Parliament on the UK’s role in tackling

ISIL

in Iraq (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). The Prime Minister said:

ISIL

is a terrorist organisation unlike those we have dealt with before. The brutality is staggering, but it is not just the brutality; it is backed by billions of dollars and has captured an arsenal of the most modern weapons.

This is not a threat on the far side of the world: left unchecked, we will face a terrorist caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a NATO member, with a declared and proven determination to attack our country and our people.

Read the full

Hansard transcript.

The Deputy Prime Minister

gave the closing speech in Parliament.

Read the

Prime Minister’s closing speech

at the

UN

General Assembly and

a summary of the government legal position

on military action in Iraq against

ISIL

.

We are working closely with our allies to drive back, dismantle and ultimately destroy

ISIL

and what it stands for. We will defeat

ISIL

through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy.

Contents

Working with the Iraqi government

United Nations support

Military support

Humanitarian aid

Counter-terrorism at home

Government news and statements

Working with the Iraqi government

We will work with the Iraqi government to ensure it represents all its people, and is able to tackle this threat effectively.

We will support the Kurdish regional government, who are holding the front line against

ISIL

. We will help them protect their own people - and the minorities, including Christians, they have helped already - through our supplies of ammunition and through training.

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United Nations support

We will work at the

UN

to mobilise the broadest possible support to bear down on

ISIL

. Read the

Prime Minister’s closing speech

at the

UN

General Assembly.

The Prime Minister

spoke to Ban Ki-moon

on 8 September 2014 to seek support at the United Nations for a broad-based international effort to confront

ISIL

.

We co-sponsored the resolution passed by the

UN

Human Rights Council on 1 September 2014, which highlights

ISIL

’s abhorrent actions and commits to a team of experts going to Iraq to investigate these atrocities.

The Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond travelled to Paris on 15 September to discuss the global threat of

ISIL

and met with the Iraqi Foreign Minister. The meeting provided an opportunity for almost 20 allies to discuss their strategy for combating this threat.

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Military support

Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 aircraft have been in action over Iraq

as part of the international coalition’s operations to support the democratic Iraqi government in the fight against

ISIL

.

British Tornados and surveillance aircraft have also been helping with intelligence gathering and logistics. This is not about British combat troops on the ground. It is about working with others to extinguish this terrorist threat.

On the 5 November the Defence Secretary announced that the UK is planning to offer advisory personnel to Iraqi headquarters as well as providing additional training to Peshmerga fighters.

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Humanitarian aid

The Department for International Development (DFID) is leading the UK’s humanitarian response and getting life-saving aid to people across Iraq who have fled

ISIL

terrorists. The UK is delivering a total of £39.5 million of aid.

In the summer of 2014 we responded to the rapidly growing number of Iraqis fleeing their homes by allocating £23 million in emergency humanitarian assistance. These funds are continuing to provide food, shelter, water, sanitation and medical care, to thousands of vulnerable displaced families across Iraq.

In December 2014, as winter approached and temperatures dropped below zero, we continued our support with an extra £16.5 million to provide essential aid to tens of thousands of families. This includes delivering blankets, heating stoves and other essential winter supplies to 14,000 vulnerable displaced families; helping 16,000 families buy warm winter clothing; ensuring 4,500 families are sheltered from winter conditions and providing emergency health support and increased access to safe water for thousands of vulnerable Iraqis.

We will continue to support the enormous humanitarian efforts to help the millions of people who have fled

ISIL

.

Overview: UK humanitarian response to Iraq crisis

PDF

,

503 KB

,

2 pages

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Counter-terrorism at home

We will maintain and continually reinforce our formidable counter-terrorist effort here at home to prevent attacks and to hunt down those who are planning them.

People seeking to travel to engage in terrorist activity in Syria or Iraq should be in no doubt we will take the strongest possible action to protect our national security, including prosecuting those who break the law. We also have a wide range of powers at our disposal to disrupt travel and manage the risk posed by returnees.

We are redoubling these efforts to:

stop people going by taking away the passports of those contemplating travelling to take part in violence or extremism – the Home Office has seized 23 passports since we announced a stronger use of powers in April last year

ensure police have the powers they need to arrest those suspected in terrorist activities overseas – 69 people have been arrested in the first half of this year, compared to 25 in the whole of 2013

take extremist material off the internet – since February 2010, the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) has taken down more than 47,000 pieces of unlawful terrorist-related content (over 28,000 of these since December)

continue to support a network of organisations who work with people we know are drifting into extremism and violence – they have offered the support of hundreds of people, making a very significant contribution to our national security

A national campaign was launched by police in April to warn of

the dangers of travelling to Syria (pdf)

- the message is the same for those considering travelling to Iraq or any other conflict zone.

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Government news and statements

10 November

Foreign Secretary underlines UK support for the moderate opposition, as they fight

ISIL

’s extremism and Assad’s regime

5 November

UK to provide further support to forces fighting

ISIL

4 November

LATEST: air strikes in Iraq

30 October

Defence Secretary meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince

21 October

Surveillance missions over Syria confirmed

16 October

Foreign Secretary statement on

ISIL

: Iraq and Syria

UK deploys Reaper to the Middle East

13 October

Foreign Secretary announces UK funded training to support Kurdish fighters

Foreign Secretary visits Iraq to discuss

ISIL

8 October

RAF Tornados’ air strikes in Iraq

6 October

Foreign Secretary discusses

ISIL

with Iraqi Vice President

UK and Canada respond to sexual violence by

ISIL

in Iraq

4 October

Murder of Alan Henning: government response

3 October

Statement on murder of Alan Henning by

ISIL

PM confirms additional measures in support of operations against

ISIL

2 October

Further air strikes in Iraq

1 October

Third air strike in Iraq

RAF Tornados’ second air strikes in Iraq

30 September

RAF conducts first air strikes of Iraq mission

27 September

RAF Tornado jets ready for attack role over Iraq

26 September

PM’s motion in Parliament on Iraq and the coalition against

ISIL

25 September

Military action in Iraq against

ISIL

: government legal position

24 September

PM’s speech at the

UN

General Assembly

Downing Street statement on recall of Parliament

23 September

Downing Street statement on air strikes

14 September

PM reaction to murder of aid worker David Haines

9 September

UK gifts arms and ammunition to Kurdish regional government

Foreign Secretary congratulates Prime Minister al-Abadi on new Iraqi government

3 September

PM’s statement to Parliament on opposition to

ISIL

terrorism

2 September

PM statement following murder of American journalist Steven Sotloff

31 August

Humanitarian supplies reach Amerli

29 August

Threat level from international terrorism raised: PM statement

27 August

New UK aid package for Iraq focuses on vulnerable women and children

24 August

Government Security Envoy to the Kurdistan region of Iraq appointed

21 August

More UK aid flights into Erbil deliver food and essential kit for aid workers

20 August

UK delivers tents for displaced families in northern Iraq

Statement on James Foley

Foreign Secretary condemns alleged murder of James Foley

18 August

COBR meeting on Iraq: 18 August 2014

16 August

UK aid arrives for displaced Iraqis across northern Iraq

Our approach to the threat posed by

ISIL

: article by David Cameron

Personnel in Cyprus assist in aid air drops

15 August

COBR meeting on Iraq: 15 August 2014

“Today this Council has shown that it will not stand idle in the face of terrorism and violations of human rights”

William Hague condemns sexual violence in Iraq

Foreign Secretary calls for smooth transition of power in Iraq

14 August

British aid for Yazidi refugees fleeing Mount Sinjar

New UK aid supplies delivered to Iraq

COBR meeting on Iraq: 14 August 2014

13 August

UK steps up aid for Northern Iraq

COBR meeting on Iraq: 13 August 2014

PM calls with President Erdogan, President Hollande and President Barzani

12 August

COBR meeting on Iraq: 12 August 2014

Tornados ready to support humanitarian operations

Britain steps up support for Iraq

UK aid drops continue over Mount Sinjar in Iraq

11 August

Foreign Secretary welcomes announcement of Iraqi PM Designate

COBR meeting on the latest situation in Iraq

10 August

Cross-government meeting on Iraq - 10 August 2014

9 August

Aircraft carrying UK aid on their way to help Iraqis

PM call with President Obama

8 August

Emergency aid for displaced people in Iraq

David Cameron statement on Iraq

7 August

FCO Minister condemns

ISIL

brutality

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بيان حكومي بريطاني حول إجراءات مكافحة داعش ومنع السفر للقتال في سورية والعراق.