The Untold Battles

Two RAF Tornado GR4s over Iraq in September 2014, at the start of Britain's air campaign against Islamic State. This is a file photograph from the 2014 mission, not the withdrawal. (UK Ministry of Defence, via Wikimedia Commons, Open Government Licence.) Last British Troops Leave Iraq as Decade-Long Anti-IS Mission Ends The last British troops have left Iraq, closing a chapter that began when Islamic State swept across the country in 2014. Around 100 UK personnel withdrew from Irbil in the northern Kurdistan region on Wednesday, departing alongside their American counterparts as the US-led coalition formally ended its military mission in Iraq. The withdrawal marks the end of more than a decade of British military presence in Iraq and of the mission known as Operation Inherent Resolve. Iraq has declared a series of national "Sovereignty Days" to mark the departure. Key facts Around 100 remaining British personnel left Irbil on 30 September 2026, with their exit...

Nuclear submarine HMS Vanguard arrives back at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, Scotland, following a patrol. Photo: CPOA(Phot) Tam McDonald/MOD, licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0 via Wikimedia Commons (file photograph from 29 November 2010).   Babcock International has agreed a two-month extension to its Future Maritime Support Programme bridging agreement with the Ministry of Defence, keeping the Royal Navy's naval base and nuclear submarine support services running while the two sides finalise a longer-term deal. The defence company announced the extension in a regulatory statement on Wednesday morning, saying it will take effect from 1 October 2026. Key facts Babcock announced a two-month extension to the Future Maritime Support Programme (FMSP) bridging agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence. The extension runs from 1 October 2026. It covers naval base operations and nuclear submarine fleet support services. The bridge buys time while Babcock and the MOD...