U.S. says fight against Islamic State will take years

PanARMENIAN.Net - The fight against jihadist group Islamic State (IS) will take years, a U.S. military spokesman said, according to BBC News has told the BBC.

Rear Admiral John Kirby also said that U.S.-led air strikes against IS in Syria had disrupted the group's capabilities.

The remark came as President Barack Obama thanked Arab states for help and Secretary of State John Kerry said more than 50 nations had agreed to fight IS.

IS has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq, and the U.S. has launched nearly 200 air strikes in Iraq since August.

The strikes however expanded the anti-IS campaign across the border into Syria for the first time. Activists say at least 70 IS militants, 50 other al Qaeda-linked fighters and eight civilians were killed in the strikes.

Speaking in Washington, Rear Adm John Kirby said the air strikes in Syria had successfully degraded IS's capabilities.

"We think we have hit what we were aiming at," the BBC quoted him as saying.

However, IS was good at adapting and reacting to changes, he said, adding that the group presented a "serious threat" that would not be eliminated "within days or months."

"It's going to take a serious effort by all involved. We do believe that we're talking about years here."

The strikes targeted the IS main headquarters in its stronghold of Raqqa, north-eastern Syria, as well as training compounds, vehicles and storage facilities in several other areas. Residents in Raqqa have told journalists that the air strikes have had a big impact on IS fighters.

Obama hailed the support of Arab nations in the air strikes, saying: "This is not America's fight alone."

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar took part in or supported the strikes in Syria, Obama said.

The Pentagon said warplanes, drones and Tomahawk cruise missiles were used in air strikes. They were organized in three separate waves with U.S. fighter jets carrying out the first set, and Arab nations participating in the second and third, U.S. military officials said.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, quoted by state media, said he supported any international efforts to combat "terrorism" in Syria.

However, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a Syrian government ally, said military action in Syria lacked "legal standing" without a UN mandate or approval from the Syrian government.