U.S., allies stage 15 air strikes on Islamic State in Iraq, Syria - U.S.

WASHINGTON Thu Oct 23, 2014 2:29pm BST

1 of 2. Smoke and dust rise over Syrian town of Kobani after an airstrike, as seen from the Mursitpinar crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province October 23, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach

(Reuters) - U.S. military forces again focussed air strikes on the area near the Syrian city of Kobani in their campaign to turn back Islamic State forces and also hit oil facilities held by the militant group, the U.S. Central Command said on Thursday.
A total of 15 strikes were staged against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday and Thursday, according to a statement from Central Command.
The statement said U.S. fighter and bomber aircraft staged four strikes near the key border city of Kobani, destroying an Islamic State control centre and fighting positions in an area that has often been targeted this month, and two more that knocked out oil tanks east of Dawr Az Zawr.
Four air strikes by U.S. and allied forces in Iraq near the vital Mosul Dam hit small Islamic State units and destroyed a vehicle while another attack near Bayji took out a fighting position. Four strikes in the Fallujah area targeted a training facility, a larger Islamic State unit and a building.
All aircraft involved in the strikes returned safely, the statement said.
(Writing by Bill Trott; Editing by Susan Heavey)
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