The US Defense Department says American-led airstrikes have targeted the ISIL terrorist group in northern Syria close to the border with Turkey.
The Pentagon said Saturday it hit seven ISIL targets in the besieged Kurdish town of Kobani, destroying a building and two armored vehicles belonging to the group.
An 11-day assault by ISIL on the Syrian town of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab in Arabic, has sent about 150,000 refugees across the border into Turkey since last week.
The airstrikes in the Syrian town were part of a series of attacks carried out by the US and several Arab countries inside Syria on Friday and Saturday, the US Central Command said Saturday. The countries are accused of giving weapons andfunds to ISIL.
The US-led coalition began striking ISIL targets in Syria on September 23, without Damascus’ permission. This is seen as illegal under international law.
In August, US warplanes began airstrikes in Iraq against ISIL, also known by the acronyms ISIS or IS. On Saturday, British warplanes flew their first anti-ISIL combat missions over Iraq.
According to Associated Press reports, the latest US airstrike around Kobani was the first time coalition forces have attacked the militant group near the Syrian-Turkish border.
According to a UK-based Syrian opposition group, 12 people were wounded in the attacks. The air raid campaign is seen as illegal under international law.
The UK-based Syrian opposition group also said US-led airstrikes hit ISIL targets in Syria’s central province of Homs, in the town of in Minbej, east of Aleppo.