American intelligence agencies believe that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has grown no weaker in the year since the U.S. began its bombing campaign, the Associated Press reports.
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Several IS-held tactical units and military vehicles were destroyed during the operations, according to the statement. Gen. Kevin J. Killea, who is helping run the U.S.-led coalition effort in Iraq, told reporters at the Pentagon in a video briefing from the region. “On this context, the current coalition coverage of downplaying or denying all claims of noncombatant fatalities makes little sense, and dangers handing (the) Islamic State (group) and different forces a strong propaganda device”. The incident prompted the U.S.to launch airstrikes against the militant group.
In Raqqa, U.S. coalition bombs pound the group’s positions and target its leaders with increasing regularity. Iraqi, Syrian and Turkish Kurds now fight alongside each other to reclaim Sinjar.
The group has adjusted its tactics to thwart a U.S. bombing campaign that tries to avoid civilian casualties, officials say.
Glaser said the U.S. was gradually squeezing the group’s finances through sanctions, military strikes and other means, but he acknowledged it would take time. The death toll was confirmed by other opposition groups in Syria. A lot of the civilians have been killed in airstrikes close to oil refineries and oil fields within the northern provinces of Hassakeh, Raqqa, Aleppo and Deir el-Zour.
Six air raids were conducted in Syria, including four near the town of Kobani on the border with Turkey, the statement added.
Two movies and a number of other photographs purporting to point out the aftermath of the strikes within the combined Arab and Kurdish village confirmed youngsters allegedly wounded within the airstrikes.
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His speech marked the anniversary of the fall of Sinjar to the Islamic State group, which forced tens of thousands of people from Iraq’s Yazidi religious minority to flee into the mountains, prompting the U.S.to begin the airstrikes targeting the militant group. Allegiances change by the hour sometimes, he said of armed groups fighting in Syria.Northwestern Syria has been a swirl of fighting groups, with moderate, U.S.-backed forces, sometimes in alliance with Jabhat al-Nusra, battling against the army of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
