AP, Washington :The US and five Arab countries launched airstrikes Monday night on Islamic State group targets in eastern Syria, and the US undertook a separate, unilateral air attack on what it called an al-Qaida affiliate elsewhere in Syria.Several hours after the Pentagon announced the airstrikes against Islamic State targets, US Central Command said American warplanes launched eight airstrikes “to disrupt the imminent attack plotting against the United States and Western interests” by a network of “seasoned al-Qaida veterans” – sometimes known as the Khorasan Group – who have established a haven in Syria. It provided no details on the plotting.Central Command said that separate bombing mission was undertaken solely by US aircraft and took place west of the Syrian city of Aleppo. It said targets included training camps, an explosives and munitions production facility, a communication building and command and control facilities.In its written statement detailing the operation, Central Command said the airstrikes, which officials said began around 8:30 p.m. EDT, were conducted by the US, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. It said the five Arab partner countries “participated in or supported” the airstrikes against Islamic State targets. It was not more specific.Central Command said the US fired 47 Tomahawk cruise missiles from aboard the USS Arleigh Burke and USS Philippine Sea, operating from international waters in the Red Sea and the northern Persian Gulf. US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps fighter jets, drones and bombers also participated.The first wave of strikes finished about 90 minutes later, but the operation was expected to continue for several more hours, according to one US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly by name about an ongoing mission.Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the US informed Syria’s envoy to the UN that “strikes will be launched against the terrorist Daesh group in Raqqa.” The statement used an Arabic name to refer to the Islamic State group.
