daesh jihadists to be seriously dented by end of 2016
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

US Secretary of State John Kerry:

Daesh jihadists to be 'seriously dented' by end of 2016

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Daesh jihadists to be 'seriously dented' by end of 2016

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L)
Paris - Arab Today

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday said the Islamic State group would be "very seriously" weakened in Syria and Iraq this year, as France announced that some 22,000 jihadists have been killed by the US-led coalition.

Air strikes by the alliance that includes Gulf states, France and Britain have been pounding IS positions since August 2014, with Washington claiming major gains against the extremists.

"I think that by the end of 2016, our goal of very seriously denting Daesh in Iraq and Syria and of trying to have an impact on Mosul (in Iraq) and Raqa (in Syria) will be achieved," Kerry told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, using an alternative name for IS.

"We are on track, we are doing serious damage to Daesh today," he said.

The Pentagon estimates that IS has lost 20-30 percent of the total territory they were in control of in Iraq and Syria, including up to 40 percent in Iraq alone.
Kerry said he would meet the foreign ministers of 24 coalition nations in Rome on February 2 to discuss strategy and possible "additional commitments".

The US has called on allies to contribute special forces as a key part of the efforts to bolster coalition forces fighting the jihadist group.

US special forces are already directly engaged in pinpointing targets and launching raids against the Islamic State group in both Syria and Iraq, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Thursday.

"These forces have already established contact with new forces that share our goals, (opening) new lines of communication to local, motivated and capable fighters, and new targets for air strikes and strikes of all kinds," Carter said in Paris.

No nation is providing precise figures on how many of their special forces are operating in the region, but it has become increasingly clear that elite Western troops are providing more than training, and shifting towards more of a frontline role.

In Iraq, "we now have a specialised expeditionary targeting force in place that is preparing to work with the Iraqis to begin mounting sudden, long-range raids, going after ISIL's fighters and commanders, killing or capturing them wherever we find them, along with other key targets," Carter said, using an alternative name for IS.

French President Francois Hollande said the anti-IS coalition would "accelerate" its air strikes.
His comments followed a meeting by the defence ministers of seven countries in the coalition on Wednesday, who said their strategy was to free the IS "power centres" of Raqa and Mosul.

"They also decided to reinforce support to Arab and Kurdish forces fighting Daesh on the ground," the French president said.

Around 22,000 jihadists have been killed by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group since mid-2014, France's own defence minister said on Thursday.

"The figure given by the coalition... is about 22,000 dead since the start of operations in Iraq and Syria," Jean-Yves Le Drian told the France24 news channel, adding that the figure was "approximate".

- 'Perfect chaos' -
Meanwhile, the EU's counter-terrorism coordinator chief Gilles de Kerchove said IS's military losses in Syria and Iraq may prompt some of its leaders to relocate to strife-torn Libya where they would face less pressure.

"There, for the time being, it's the perfect chaos they like," he told AFP.

The anti-IS coalition's attacks have intensified since November's deadly jihadist attacks in Paris, with oil sites among the main targets in a bid to cut the group's key revenue stream.

Le Drian said the group's finances were "beginning to dry up".

UN-brokered Syrian peace talks had been tentatively set for Monday in Geneva, despite disagreements over who will represent the opposition.

But the United Nations said the talks could be delayed by a few days.

"It is likely the 25th may slip by a few days for practical reasons," Jessy Chahine, a spokeswoman for UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, told AFP in an email on Thursday.
Source :AFP

GMT 04:02 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Kurds invited to join Syria peace

GMT 04:52 2018 Monday ,22 January

West's 'Russiaphobia' worse than

GMT 08:52 2018 Sunday ,21 January

Brexit special trade agreement possible

GMT 04:05 2018 Saturday ,20 January

can govern from Belgium

GMT 06:15 2018 Friday ,19 January

Wall idea not 'informed'

GMT 06:30 2018 Thursday ,18 January

Netanyahu: US embassy could move

GMT 09:24 2018 Wednesday ,17 January

Iran should listen to demands

GMT 08:24 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Destroy US-backed Syria 'terror army'
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

daesh jihadists to be seriously dented by end of 2016 daesh jihadists to be seriously dented by end of 2016

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

daesh jihadists to be seriously dented by end of 2016 daesh jihadists to be seriously dented by end of 2016

 



GMT 05:14 2024 Wednesday ,07 February

Sophisticated Classic Dining Room Design Ideas

GMT 10:51 2016 Tuesday ,22 November

Klinsmann fired as US coach

GMT 05:17 2017 Wednesday ,05 July

Now, have breakfast, coffee with rats

GMT 12:10 2018 Thursday ,18 January

Lebanon reverses ban on Spielberg's 'The Post'

GMT 11:35 2017 Thursday ,28 September

Young Emiratis Credit Young ADIPEC with Helping Them

GMT 11:56 2017 Wednesday ,13 December

Brexit deal shows UK can leave EU

GMT 08:45 2017 Saturday ,30 September

Yasmine Sabri reveals secrets of her happiness

GMT 20:22 2016 Sunday ,17 July

Jagger to be dad again at 72

GMT 21:30 2016 Wednesday ,11 May

Nilesat attains profits worth $ 91.5m in 2015

GMT 00:48 2017 Sunday ,12 March

Iran condemns Syria terrorist bomb attacks

GMT 12:04 2012 Tuesday ,17 July

US drones make peace with Pakistan less likely

GMT 00:48 2012 Friday ,10 August

Judge Judy is highest paid TV star
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice