News Analysis: Britain's anti-IS strikes in Syria reflects fears of growing terror threats in Europe

Britain's decision to start striking positions of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria came as the growing terrorism has posed a real threat in Europe, analysts said, noting that coordinating with the Syrian military is a necessity to ensure the counter-terror efforts effective.

British warplanes started bombing IS positions in Syria for the first time on Thursday, just hours after lawmakers voted in favor of action.

Four British jets took off from Akrotiri air base in Cyprus and slammed an IS-controlled oil field in eastern Syria, Arab media reports said.

Syrian analysts said London has started realizing the threats of growing terror in Syria and the repercussions of such a dangerous phenomenon on the West, particularly after last month's Paris attacks in which terrorists went on a rampage killing over 120 people.

"After the attacks in Paris, the Europe Union has started mulling further involvement in striking the IS positions in Syria. The British has started expanding their previous strikes in Iraq. I think more countries will follow its lead soon," Mahmoud Muri, a Syrian opposition figure, told Xinhua on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the German parliament is planning a greater military involvement against the IS by sending 1,200 troops as a supporting role in anti-IS efforts.

"The fresh involvement by the UK indicates that countering terror and the IS has become an international mission, because the terrorism has rebounded on almost all Arab, regional and international countries," Muri said.

He noted that fighting the expanding terrorism requires a unified international stance, not a unilateral one.

Muri explained that Russia is fighting terror groups in Syria more seriously than the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition that is still betting on some rebel groups on ground.

"What Russia has done is a step in the right direction, but it's not enough. Russia is seriously fighting terrorism, but unfortunately the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition doesn't seem to be fighting in the same seriousness," he said.

In order for an international alliance to defeat the IS, Western powers should coordinate effective troops on ground, which, in this case, are the Syrian army and its allied forces, he said.

"That's why the U.S.-led airstrikes have not eliminated the IS. It needs a regional and international alliance to support ground operations. The air force can weaken those terrorists but cannot completely finish them alone," he said.

Meanwhile, Muri said the international community must practice more pressure on Turkey to control its borders, and deter the flow of foreign jihadists in and out of Syria.

Sharif Shihadeh, a Syrian lawmaker, also told Xinhua that whoever wants to fight terrorism should stand by the side of the Syrian government and the Syrian army.

"Britain is now under a popular demand for an action against the terror groups and that is why they have started taking part in the strikes. But Britain will find itself fighting in the wrong time and space if it doesn't coordinate with the Syrian government in the frame of an international alliance," he said.

Shihadeh said the Russian airstrikes have achieved more progress in two months than the year-old U.S.-led coalition. He contributed the Russian success to the coordination and cooperation with the Syrian army.

Generally, Shihadeh said, fighting terror cannot be carried out by one country, as it needs an international alliance and a unification of security and military efforts.

Maher Murhej, a Syrian politician and head of the Syrian Youth Party, said Britain's decision came as London felt the growing terrorism has started posing a real threat in Europe, particularly after the Paris attacks.

"The attacks have contributed in pushing the British government and people to realize the importance of fighting the IS, whose threat is not only confined to a certain region," Murhej said.

He also agreed with other analysts on the need of an active cooperation with the Syrian army, as "the spine of counter terrorism is the Syrian army. The U.S. coalition should coordinate with the Syrian army to make progress against IS." Endit