UK bombing of Syria to cost 'in the low tens of millions of pounds': Osborne

Reuters
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne leaves the Treasury to present the Autumn Statement to Parliament in London, Britain November 25, 2015. REUTERS/Andy Rain/pool

LONDON (Reuters) - British finance minister George Osborne said on Tuesday that the cost of extending air strikes against Islamic State into Syria would run in the "low tens of millions of pounds". "I think the estimate of extended air action over Syria would be in the low tens of millions of pounds. That'll come out of the special reserve which we established for the purposes of military action like this," Osborne told a committee of lawmakers. Osborne also said the existing cost of air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and supporting the moderate Syria opposition was just over 200 million pounds ($301 million) a year. Prime Minister David Cameron has said Britain's parliament will vote on bombing Syria on Wednesday and that he is confident he can secure its approval. (Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by William James)