AceBreakingNews – WASHINGTON – September 23 – The U.S. and five Arab countries launched air-strikes Monday night on Islamic State group targets in eastern Syria, and the U.S. undertook a separate, unilateral air attack on what it called an al-Qaida affiliate elsewhere in Syria.

US and Five Arab Countries Launch Air-Strikes in Syria
Several hours after the Pentagon announced the air-strikes against Islamic State targets, U.S. Central Command said American war-planes launched eight air-strikes “to disrupt the imminent attack plotting against the United States and Western interests” by a network of “seasoned al-Qaida veterans” – sometimes known as the Khorasan Group – who have established a haven in Syria.

US and Five Arab Countries Launch Air-Strikes in Syria
It provided no details on the plotting.
Central Command said that separate bombing mission was undertaken solely by U.S. aircraft and took place west of the Syrian city of Aleppo. It said targets included training camps, an explosives and munitions production facility, a communication building and command and control facilities.
The air-strikes against Islamic State targets were carried out in the city of Raqqa and other areas in eastern Syria by a mix of manned aircraft – fighter jets and bombers – plus Tomahawk cruise missiles and drone aircraft. The strikes were part of the expanded military campaign that President Barack Obama authorized nearly two weeks ago in order to disrupt and destroy the Islamic State militants, who have slaughtered thousands of people, beheaded Westerners – including two American journalists – and captured large swaths of Syria and northern and western Iraq.
In its written statement detailing the operation, Central Command said the air-strikes, which officials said began around 8:30 p.m. EDT, were conducted by the U.S., Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
It said the five Arab partner countries “participated in or supported” the air-strikes against Islamic State targets.
It was not more specific.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) – The Syrian foreign ministry said Tuesday that Washington informed Damascus’ envoy to the United Nations before launching air-strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria, attacks that activists said inflicted casualties among jihadi fighters and civilians on the ground.
A brief ministry statement, carried by Syrian state media, said “the American side informed Syria’s permanent envoy to the U.N. that strikes will be launched against the Daesh terrorist organization in Raqqa.”
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