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RAF Video Shows Drone Strike on Islamic State Sentries Overlooking 'Public Execution'

The UK’s Ministry of Defence released video on September 20 showing a drone strike on the Islamic State-held Deir Ezzor town of al-Bukamal, which they say killed two sentries overlooking a public execution on May 9, bringing the execution to a halt.

This video shows a large crowd gathered near Fayhaa Square. One of the men identified as sentries by the Ministry of Defence can be seen on a rooftop, before an explosion.

The ministry statement read:

“An RAF Reaper remotely piloted aircraft observed a group of Daesh fighters in Abu Kamal, eastern Syria, mustering a large crowd of civilians in one of the town’s main streets. When a van then unloaded 2 shackled prisoners in front of the crowd, it became clear that Daesh were organising a public execution. Given the large number of civilians present, the Reaper’s crew could not target directly the Daesh fighters about to carry out the murders.

“However, 2 armed extremists were stationed as sentries on the roof of a building overlooking the scene. A Hellfire missile was fired immediately, and scored a direct hit which not only killed one of the sentries but also brought the execution to an immediate halt, as the Daesh fighters fled the scene, and the crowd of civilians dispersed.” Credit: UK Ministry of Defence via Storyful