World News
First air strike against IS militants under new strategy─── 12:37 Tue, 16 Sep 2014
Baghdad - The US has carried out its first air strike against Islamic State (IS) militants under a new strategy to defeat the group.
The US military said Monday's strike had destroyed an IS fighting position south-west of Baghdad that had been firing on Iraqi forces.
It came five days after US President Barack Obama outlined his plan to "degrade and ultimately destroy" IS.
The US has also been building a broad coalition to fight the jihadist group.
IS, also known as Isil or Isis, has announced the creation of a caliphate, or Islamic state, in the large parts of Syria and Iraq it controls.
"The air strike south-west of Baghdad was the first taken as part of our expanded efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions to hit Isil targets as Iraqi forces go on offence, as outlined in the president's speech last Wednesday," US Central Command said.
It did not specify the exact location but Iraqi security spokesman Lt Gen Qassem Atta told AFP news agency it was "an important strike" in Sadr al-Yusufiya, 25km (15 miles) from the capital.
The US also said an IS position near the north-western town of Sinjar had been targeted on Sunday, destroying six IS vehicles.
US fighter planes have conducted more than 160 airstrikes across Iraq since August.
Previous US air strikes in Iraq have been carried out to protect US interests and personnel, help Iraqi refugees and secure infrastructure.
In a speech last week, President Obama unveiled a four-point plan to defeat IS using air strikes, material and technical support for Iraqi ground troops, counter-terrorism activities and humanitarian help.
He has said there are no plans to send in US ground troops.
It came five days after US President Barack Obama outlined his plan to "degrade and ultimately destroy" IS.
The US has also been building a broad coalition to fight the jihadist group.
IS, also known as Isil or Isis, has announced the creation of a caliphate, or Islamic state, in the large parts of Syria and Iraq it controls.
"The air strike south-west of Baghdad was the first taken as part of our expanded efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions to hit Isil targets as Iraqi forces go on offence, as outlined in the president's speech last Wednesday," US Central Command said.
It did not specify the exact location but Iraqi security spokesman Lt Gen Qassem Atta told AFP news agency it was "an important strike" in Sadr al-Yusufiya, 25km (15 miles) from the capital.
The US also said an IS position near the north-western town of Sinjar had been targeted on Sunday, destroying six IS vehicles.
US fighter planes have conducted more than 160 airstrikes across Iraq since August.
Previous US air strikes in Iraq have been carried out to protect US interests and personnel, help Iraqi refugees and secure infrastructure.
In a speech last week, President Obama unveiled a four-point plan to defeat IS using air strikes, material and technical support for Iraqi ground troops, counter-terrorism activities and humanitarian help.
He has said there are no plans to send in US ground troops.
BBC News
