The Obama administration’s diplomatic point man in the international fight against Islamic State has said the extremists have been losing control over territory, adding: “This perverse caliphate is shrinking.”
In Iraq, however, Isis launched a coordinated assault on a natural gas plant north of Baghdad that killed at least 14 people, while a string of other bomb attacks in or close to the capital killed 15 others, Iraqi officials said.
Brett McGurk, a presidential envoy to the 66-member anti-Isis coalition, told a news conference on Sunday that the tide was turning against extremists, both online and on the battle field.
McGurk said Jordan had been contributing by conducting weekly airstrikes, publishing anti-Isis propaganda and helping gather intelligence. Jordan borders Iraq and Syria, where Isis holds large areas.
The extremists have suffered recent military setbacks and lost territory in both Iraq and Syria. At the same time, global affiliates of the group appear to have grown in strength and there has been an increase in insurgency-style attacks in Iraq.
Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/15/isis-islamic-state-iraq-white-house-suicide-bombings
