US says air strikes pound Islamic State targets near Kobani, Syria

WASHINGTON - US and partner nations launched 13 air strikes near Kobani, Syria, in the last 24 hours, the US military said, as they continued their air assault to help drive the last Islamic State forces out of city.

The strikes around Kobani hit 12 Islamic State tactical units and a vehicle, and destroyed nine fighting positions, a staging area and three buildings, the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement.

The Pentagon said this week the militants had been driven out of 90 per cent of Kobani, a city near the border with Turkey where fighting has raged for four months.

The six air strikes in northern Iraq, where Islamic State has seized swathes of territory, targeted al Asad, Kirkuk, Mosul and Sinjar, hitting tactical units, a checkpoint, six buildings and six shipping containers, the task force said.