September 8, 2015 9.49 am This story is over 101 months old

British extremists killed in Syria drone strike from RAF Waddington

British citizen killings: It has been confirmed that a drone used for the first time to assassinate two British extremists in Syria was piloted from RAF Waddington near Lincoln.

It has been confirmed that, for the first time, a unmanned drone launched from the UK was used to assassinate two British extremists in Syria – and it was piloted from RAF Waddington near Lincoln.

The launch was 3,000 miles away from where a missile from a remotely-piloted aircraft killed two British Isis members outside Raqqa on August 21.

Cardiff-born Reyaad Khan, 21, was killed in the strike. It was later confirmed Rahul Amin, 26, from Aberdeen was also killed.

A third British extremist, Junaid Hussain, was also targeted and killed in a separate drone strike by the US as part of a joint operation three days later.

Inside drone control at RAF Waddington. Photo: MoD

Inside drone control at RAF Waddington. Photo: MoD

It was said that Khan had been behind plans for “barbaric” attacks on high profile commemorative events in Britain.

Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs on Monday, September 7 that the attorney general had been consulted and there was ‘clear legal basis’ for the strike.

He said the strike on Khan was “the first time in modern times that a British asset has been used to conduct a strike in a country where we’re not involved in war”.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said that the RAF strike was a ‘perfectly legal act of self defence’.

Questions have been raised by campaigners and MPs, including acting Labour leader Herriet Harman, who is urging the government to publish the legal advice and calling for an independent scrutiny.