British-born ISIL fighters killed in RAF drone strike

The Prime Minister insisted the Government was ready to repeat its actions in the future if they were justified to defend the UK from a terrorist attack.

The decision to authorise the operation last month, only revealed to MPs today, appeared to contradict the Commons vote two years ago against airstrikes in Syria.

But Mr Cameron told MPs the attack was a “targeted strike” to protect Britain rather than part of wider military action.

It is the first occasion in modern times where the UK has carried out a drone strike in a country where it is not involved in other military operations.

Reyaad Khan, a 21-year-old from Cardiff, was the target of the attack on August 21 which also killed Ruhul Amin, from Aberdeen, and a third IS fighter.

Mr Cameron told MPs Khan and Junaid Hussain, another British-born IS fighter killed by US forces three days later, were involved in preparing terror attacks against Britain.

“In this area, there is no government we can work with. We have no military on the ground to detain those preparing plots. And there was nothing to suggest that Reyaad Khan would ever leave Syria or desist from his desire to murder us at home.

“So we had no way of preventing his planned attacks on our country without taking direct action,” he said.

Mr Cameron said the Attorney General had agreed the attack was justified under international law and the UK was exercising its “inherent right to self-defence”.

Asked if he would repeat the action, Mr Cameron said: “If it is necessary to safeguard the United Kingdom and to act in self defence and there are no other ways of doing that then yes I would.”

But he resisted calls from acting Labour leader Harriet Harman to publish the legal advice supporting the drone strike.

Ms Harman was also critical of the Prime Minister’s response to the refugee crisis as he announced the UK would accept 20,000 Syrians from camps on the country’s borders over the next five years.

She said refugees were not a “burden” on the UK and those welcomed to Britain from previous conflicts had gone on to be “the strongest upholders of British values.”

Refugee charities welcomed the announcement but said much broader action was needed to tackle the crisis.

Wakefield Council today became the latest Yorkshire authority to say it would offer refuge to families fleeing the conflict in Syria.

Council leader Peter Box said: “The suffering of these families as they are forced by horrific conflict to flee their homes and lives in Syria is unimaginable.

“We have a strong legacy here in Wakefield of offering a safe haven to those in desperate circumstances and I can assure people that we will not falter when we are needed the most.”

“I am proud that Wakefield, the city and the district, will always stand up and be counted when people need help.”