Air Strikes In Iraq Reportedly Inflict Losses On IS Fighters

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq

February 26, 2015

The U.S.-led coalition says it conducted 14 air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria in the past 24 hours.

Arabic-language media reported on February 26 that several IS militants, including some leaders, were killed by the air strikes where they were meeting in Iraq near the Syrian border.

Al-Arabiya reported that 17 IS militants were killed in the western Iraqi town of Al-Qaim at a meeting of IS leaders. It said 29 militants were wounded.

Al-Arabiya and other Arabic media reported that IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been reported to be in the area as well.

Coalition warplanes also hit targets in the towns of Hit and Rutba in Anbar Province.

Fighting continued in the town of Baghdadi and several villages southwest of Baghdadi were recaptured from IS fighters by Iraqi security forces.

Reports said the road between Baghdadi and Hit had been cleared of IS militants except for one area where IS militants seized an army barracks.

With reporting by Al-Arabiya