British pilots who are embedded within US and Canada-led coalition forces have taken part in airstrikes over Syria.

The BBC reports that UK personnel have already been involved in fighting Isis, despite a vote in the House of Commons in 2013 against military action in the region.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said this is because, "when embedded, UK personnel are effectively operating as foreign troops".

Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, said MPs' approval would be needed before any new UK action in Syria.

The BBC said that the MoD confirmed the situation via a Freedom of Information request submitted by the human rights group Reprieve, which says that the UK government should "come clean" about the action of its armed forces.

Jonathan Beale, the BBC's defence correspondent, said: “The MoD says those British military personnel embedded with US, Canadian and French forces and under their chain of command have been authorised to take part in those nations' operations. The US and Canada have been involved in airstrikes over Syria.”

Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Show all 9 1 /9 Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A 67-year old foreign fighter from Canada, nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Zinar, poses for a photo on April 19, 2015 Uygar Onder Simsek / AFP Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A 23-year old fighter and ex-US marine from the US, nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Agir, guards a look out point during clashes with Islamic State (IS) group fighters on April 17, 2015, in the outskirts of the north-western Syrian town of Tal Tamr AFP Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A 26-year old from the US, nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Dilsad, shows a picture of his wife and son as he poses for a photo on April 14, 2015, in the outskirts of the north-western Syrian town of Tal Tamr Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters Ex-US marines aged 23 and 24 from the US, nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Agir (R) and Hewal Agit, guard a position during clashes with Islamic State (IS) group fighters on April 17, 2015, in the outskirts of the north-western Syrian town of Tal Tamr AFP Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A group of international foreign fighters pose for a photo on April 16, 2015, in the outskirts of the north-western Syrian town of Tal Tamr AFP/ Getty Images Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A foreign fighter poses for a photo with a machine gun on April 19, 2015, in the outskirts of Tal Tamr AFP Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A 28-year old foreign fighter from the UK, nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Baran, poses for a photo on April 19, 2015, in the outskirts of the north-western Syrian town of Tal Tamr, north of Hasakeh AFP/ Getty Images Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A 21-year old from the UK and 23 year-old from the US nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Sores (L) and Hewal Agir guard a post on April 19, 2015 AFP/ Getty Images Western fighters join Kurds in battle against Isis Foreign Fighters A 67-year old man from Canada and a 40-year old from the UK, nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Zinar (L) and Hewal Cudi train on April 19, 2015, in the outskirts of the Tal Tamr AFP

A spokesman for the MoD said that Britain has been helping with the fight against Isis - sometimes referred to as Isil - targets in Syria through the provision of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

”Isil poses a direct threat to the UK and to countries around the world," he told the BBC.

"The UK is not conducting airstrikes in Syria and the government has made clear it would return to Parliament if it proposed doing so.