UK intervention in Syria not like Iraq war

UK action in Syria to target so-called Daesh is not like the Iraq invasion, Tony Blair has told the BBC.

The former PM said the current action was different from the 2003 war because the West had allies in Arab countries.

He added that experience from conflicts in Iraq and Libya showed "dealing with the dictator" was not enough in the "wider battle against extremism".

Extra RAF fighters have been deployed to bomb Daesh targets in Syria after MPs backed air strikes on Wednesday.

Mr Blair told the BBC's Katty Kay: "Even if we thought we could stay out of Syria we can't because our own interests are dramatically involved."

He said the Paris attacks on 13 November had showed that if Daesh was given the opportunity to "gain strength", it would come to Europe and the US and target Westerners.

But he said the Syrian conflict was different to those in Iraq and Afghanistan because the UK and US now had allies in the region.

Sources: MENA