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       WASHINGTON: American air strikes killed up to 35 fighters of the militant Islamic State group in Syria earlier this week, the US military said on Wednesday.

       It is the latest in a series of operations in recent months by US and local forces in Iraq and Syria against the fighters, who once held swathes of territory in both countries.

       “The strikes targeted multiple IS locations in the Syrian desert, targeting multiple senior leaders,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media, using an acronym for the IS group.

       There are no indications of civilian casualties from the strikes, which were carried out on Oct 28, CENTCOM said. “The air strikes will disrupt the ability of IS to plan, organise and conduct attacks against civilians as well as US allies and partners throughout the region and beyond,” it added.

       US and Iraqi forces conducted a joint raid last week that Baghdad said left nine fighters dead, among them the top IS leader in the country, while CENTCOM announced on Oct 18 that Iraqi strikes had killed a senior leader from the group along with three other militants. And at the end of August, a joint operation by US and Iraqi forces killed 14 IS fighters in Iraq’s western desert, among them four of the group’s leaders, CENTCOM said.

       Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2024