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Two RAF Chinook helicopters packed with special forces troops and medics swooped in to save a wounded SAS soldier in Syria.

The casualty was airlifted from deep inside the warzone to a medical facility in Erbil in neighbouring Iraq, where he is thought to be in a stable condition.

The crack troop is understood to have been injured in an IED explosion just days ago and was initially airlifted to Al Tanf, a remote US base.

The choppers took off from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and flew through Israeli airspace and northern Jordan to evacuate him from southern Syria.

A senior source said: “In some situations the US can help out, but clearly someone has deemed it appropriate that we get in and casevac [casualty evacuation] him. I expect the US aircraft are deployed elsewhere which is why UK forces were more involved.”

The HC6 Chinooks, from the RAF’s elite 7 squadron, are normally based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire.

Hi-tech versions of the RAF’s superfast troop carriers, they have huge fuel tanks for long-range journeys and are usually used in special forces missions.

Two Chinooks are permanently “on call” at RAF Akrotiri to support special forces missions in Syria and Iraq, codenamed Operation Shader.

(Image: Alamy)

Both crews – highly trained in launching special forces missions – were picked up on radar as they entered Israel air space after being granted special permission by Israeli military.

The quick-reaction force included soldiers from the Special Force Support Group, who were ready to protect the aircraft just in case either had to make a forced landing in Syria.

UK special forces troops have been operating in Syria for seven years.

More than 45 soldiers have been decorated for bravery during what have been described as “complex and highly challenging” missions.

(Image: PA)

They have launched many heroic operations against Islamic State and have trained and mentored the Syrian Democratic Forces, led by Kurdish soldiers.

Much of the British Special Forces’ work has been alongside US and French special operations teams.

In the course of the war, more than 30 Special Air Service and Special Boat Service soldiers have been injured – some seriously.

In March 2018 Matt Tonroe, who had served in the Parachute Regiment before being selected for the SAS, was killed in a joint US/UK operation in Syria.

The senior source said of this latest mission: “This is a standard ­operating procedure that is why we have two helicopters sat in Cyprus supporting our troops.”

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said in a statement: “We do not comment on special forces.”

Turkey and Russia yesterday agreed a ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib region.