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IS leaders killed by US air strikes, Pentagon chief says | IS leaders killed by US air strikes, Pentagon chief says |
(35 minutes later) | |
US air strikes have killed several high-ranking military leaders of Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, the Pentagon's top officer says. | |
Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the strikes aimed to hamper the Islamist group's ability to conduct attacks, supply fighters and finance operations. | Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the strikes aimed to hamper the Islamist group's ability to conduct attacks, supply fighters and finance operations. |
IS controls a swathe of Iraq and Syria, where it has declared a caliphate. | IS controls a swathe of Iraq and Syria, where it has declared a caliphate. |
Meanwhile, Kurdish forces say they have broken the IS siege of Mount Sinjar. | Meanwhile, Kurdish forces say they have broken the IS siege of Mount Sinjar. |
Thousands of people, mainly from the Yazidi minority, had been trapped there for months by IS militants after fleeing the town of Sinjar. | |
'High-value targets' | 'High-value targets' |
US air strikes against IS began after the group posted gruesome videos of US and other Western hostages being murdered. | US air strikes against IS began after the group posted gruesome videos of US and other Western hostages being murdered. |
Gen Dempsey told the Wall Street Journal that the loss of IS leaders was "disruptive to their planning and command and control". | Gen Dempsey told the Wall Street Journal that the loss of IS leaders was "disruptive to their planning and command and control". |
He added: "These are high-value targets, senior leadership." | He added: "These are high-value targets, senior leadership." |
Pentagon officials said that between 3 and 9 December, US air strikes killed Abd al-Basit, head of IS military operations in Iraq, and Haji Mutazz, a key aide of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. | Pentagon officials said that between 3 and 9 December, US air strikes killed Abd al-Basit, head of IS military operations in Iraq, and Haji Mutazz, a key aide of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. |
They added that in late November another strike killed Radwin Talib, IS governor of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. | They added that in late November another strike killed Radwin Talib, IS governor of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. |
Other defence officials said a number of senior and mid-level IS commanders had also died in air strikes, and that they believed this was beginning to significantly weaken the group's leadership structure. | Other defence officials said a number of senior and mid-level IS commanders had also died in air strikes, and that they believed this was beginning to significantly weaken the group's leadership structure. |
Two-pronged attack | Two-pronged attack |
The Kurdish offensive against IS forces besieging Mount Sinjar began early on Wednesday with the most intensive round of air strikes yet by US and coalition forces - 45 in all. | The Kurdish offensive against IS forces besieging Mount Sinjar began early on Wednesday with the most intensive round of air strikes yet by US and coalition forces - 45 in all. |
On the ground, about 8,000 Kurdish peshmerga fighters launched a two-pronged attack which they said had succeeded in opening a wide corridor to allow members of the Yazidi minority and others to leave. | On the ground, about 8,000 Kurdish peshmerga fighters launched a two-pronged attack which they said had succeeded in opening a wide corridor to allow members of the Yazidi minority and others to leave. |
A statement from the Kurdish command said large numbers of militant fighters had fled westwards into Syria or eastwards towards Mosul, which they captured in June. | A statement from the Kurdish command said large numbers of militant fighters had fled westwards into Syria or eastwards towards Mosul, which they captured in June. |
The BBC's Jim Muir says that if the Kurds have done all they say, it is a significant advance but there is still a long way to go - the town of Sinjar itself, to the south of the mountain, remains in IS hands, as do Mosul and the nearby town of Tal Afar. | The BBC's Jim Muir says that if the Kurds have done all they say, it is a significant advance but there is still a long way to go - the town of Sinjar itself, to the south of the mountain, remains in IS hands, as do Mosul and the nearby town of Tal Afar. |