Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent Excerpts
Monday 7th November 2016

(8 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent Portrait Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)
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Reports at the weekend suggest that the deployment and moves into Raqqa are imminent. Can the Secretary of State give us any update on what is going to happen and what support we will be providing to the efforts against Daesh in Raqqa?

Michael Fallon Portrait Sir Michael Fallon
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Yes, I can tell the House that we expect operations to first isolate, then encircle and then liberate Raqqa to begin shortly. Our forces—the RAF—will be involved in a similar role there, providing intelligence and reconnaissance from the air, but they will also be providing close air support to troops on the ground.