Operations Shader in numbers: UKs war against ISIS

Figures released by the House of Commons reveal the number of bombs dropped on Isis as part of Operations Shader as of 25 August 2016. The data shows that the UK racked up a bill of Â£7.8 million on bombing Isistargets in Syria since December 2015, with a total cost of Â£84.4m on weapons since 26 September 2014.

The UK has spent at least Â£7.8m ($10.3m) on bombing Islamic State (Isis) targets in Syria since RAF air strikes were extended from Iraq in December, new figures released to the House of Commons show.

The data also showed the total cost weapons â€“ such as Paveway variants (at least Â£22,000), Brimstone (Â£105,000) and Hellfire missiles (Â£71,300) â€“ used in Iraq and Syria hit at least Â£84.4m between 26 September 2014 and 25 August 2016.

The figures, released by Armed Forces Minister Mike Penning to Labours Shadow Defence Secretary Clive Lewis, relate to Operation Shader, the code-name given to the UKs war against Isis in the Middle East.

The campaign has seen more than 2,300 sorties flown by Tornado jets, 1,503 sorties by Reaper drones and 859 missions by Typhoons, while more than 1,300 Paveway, 208 Brimstone and 468 Hellfire missiles have been released.

In Syria, 101 Paveway variants were dropped, 23 Brimstone missiles were released and 45 Hellfires were launched

The RAF conducted its first raids on IS targets in Syira just hours after MPs backed the then Prime Minister David Cameron and voted to extend the anti-Isis operation.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a life-long anti-war activist, opposed the action. But the left-winger gave his MPs a free vote on the issue after pressure from his Shadow Cabinet over the issue.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn won plaudits from across the Commons for an impassioned speech backing the air strikes â€“ one which saw Benn brand Isis as fascists.

Its why this entire House stood up against Hitler and Mussolini, he told MPs. Its why our party has always stood up against the denial of human rights and for justice and my view, Mr Speaker, is that we must now confront this evil.

It is now time for us to do our bit in Syria and that is why I ask my colleagues to vote in favour of this motion tonight.

A seven-day-long ceasefire started between President Bashar al-Assads forces and rebel fighters since Tuesday. The truce was orchestrated by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The parties agreed to extend the ceasefire by a further 48-hours today.