Islamic State in Syria: Obama authorises surveillance flights

US President Barack Obama has authorised the use of surveillance flights to monitor the activities of Islamic State (IS) in Syria. 

 

The news came from a senior US administration official who spoke to the AP news agency on condition of anonymity.

 

According to the Wall Street Journal, the US Central Command overseeing American forces in the Middle East requested additional surveillance planes to be used in Syria. 

 

The White House has not confirmed whether it intends to take military action inside Syria, but the latest move indicates a step in that direction. The US has already launched air strikes against the militant group in neighbouring Iraq.

 

The Sunni extremist group has taken over large parts of northern Iraq and Syria in its attempt to establish a religious state or “caliphate”. Its rapid advance is causing many minority communities to flee from their homes to avoid persecution. 

 

America's decision to launch air strikes in Iraq elicited a strong reaction from the group, which confirmed last week it had murdered the American journalist James Foley in retaliation.

 

 

Joshua Landis, director of Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Al Jazeera advisers to the President had emphasised the importance of targeting Syria to uproot IS.

 

Yesterday, the Syrian government said it must be involved in co-ordinated action against the group. At a news conference in Damascus, Foreign Minister Walid al- Muallem said: "Syria is ready for co-operation and co-ordination at the regional and international level to fight terrorism and implement UN Security Council resolution 2170." 

 

US officials said Washington has no intention of seeking approval from Damascus for any military flights.