This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/25/us-air-strikes-islamic-state-oil-isis
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US air strikes target Islamic State oil infrastructure | US air strikes target Islamic State oil infrastructure |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A third night of US air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) targets inside Syria focused on oil infrastructure controlled by the militant group, observer groups say, in an apparent attempt to cut off its funding supply. | A third night of US air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) targets inside Syria focused on oil infrastructure controlled by the militant group, observer groups say, in an apparent attempt to cut off its funding supply. |
| The attacks on a series of oil installations around the town of Mayadeen, in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, reportedly killed 19 people, including five civilians, believed to be women and children related to the 14 militants who died, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and local activist groups. | The attacks on a series of oil installations around the town of Mayadeen, in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, reportedly killed 19 people, including five civilians, believed to be women and children related to the 14 militants who died, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and local activist groups. |
| Other strikes hit checkpoints, compounds and vehicles in Isis-held territory in northern and eastern Syria and along the Turkish and Iraqi borders. The US has been waging air raids against Isis targets inside Iraq for more than a month. | Other strikes hit checkpoints, compounds and vehicles in Isis-held territory in northern and eastern Syria and along the Turkish and Iraqi borders. The US has been waging air raids against Isis targets inside Iraq for more than a month. |
| The group captured most of Syria’s largest oilfields this year. It is believed to be raising money for its fighting by selling the oil on the black market. It is thought to control 11 oilfields in Iraq and Syria, contributing to income of more than $3m (£1.85m) a day in oil smuggling and other activities. | The group captured most of Syria’s largest oilfields this year. It is believed to be raising money for its fighting by selling the oil on the black market. It is thought to control 11 oilfields in Iraq and Syria, contributing to income of more than $3m (£1.85m) a day in oil smuggling and other activities. |
| According to other groups inside Syria, following the latest air raids Isis freed at least 150 people from a prison in it de facto capital, Raqqa, in north-east Syria, fearing more attacks. | According to other groups inside Syria, following the latest air raids Isis freed at least 150 people from a prison in it de facto capital, Raqqa, in north-east Syria, fearing more attacks. |
| Separately, Kurdish officials said their forces in northern Syria had pushed back an Isis advance in overnight clashes. The militant group launched an offensive to capture the border town of Kobani, prompting more than 100,000 Kurds to flee the area into Turkey. | Separately, Kurdish officials said their forces in northern Syria had pushed back an Isis advance in overnight clashes. The militant group launched an offensive to capture the border town of Kobani, prompting more than 100,000 Kurds to flee the area into Turkey. |
| The officials said Kurdish fighters had repelled a renewed push by Isis fighters towards Kobani late on Wednesday. | The officials said Kurdish fighters had repelled a renewed push by Isis fighters towards Kobani late on Wednesday. |
| The attacks on the refineries came as the French defence minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said on Thursday that France would consider carrying out air strikes against Isis in Syria. Paris has joined the US-led coalition bombing Isis positions in Iraq, but until now has ruled out similar military action in neighbouring Syria. The US’s allies in its campaign against Isis in Syria are at present all Arab nations. | |
| Drian said France’s priority remained Iraq, but did not entirely dismiss adding Syria to the list of targets, saying it was “a question that has been asked”. | Drian said France’s priority remained Iraq, but did not entirely dismiss adding Syria to the list of targets, saying it was “a question that has been asked”. |
| He added: “It’s not something that’s on the table today. We already have an important job to do in Iraq. We’ll see how the situation evolves.” | He added: “It’s not something that’s on the table today. We already have an important job to do in Iraq. We’ll see how the situation evolves.” |
| There was widespread shock and outrage in France on Thursday at the murder of the French tourist Hervé Gourdel by a jihadi group in Algeria linked to Isis. | There was widespread shock and outrage in France on Thursday at the murder of the French tourist Hervé Gourdel by a jihadi group in Algeria linked to Isis. |
| A video showing the decapitation of the Alpine mountain guide, who had arrived in Algeria on a trekking holiday just two days before he was snatched by a group calling itself the “Soldiers of the Caliphate”, was released on Wednesday. | A video showing the decapitation of the Alpine mountain guide, who had arrived in Algeria on a trekking holiday just two days before he was snatched by a group calling itself the “Soldiers of the Caliphate”, was released on Wednesday. |
| The French president, François Hollande, described the murder of the 55-year-old as “cowardly, cruel and shameful”. In Nice, Gourdel’s home city, flags were flown at half mast on Thursday. | The French president, François Hollande, described the murder of the 55-year-old as “cowardly, cruel and shameful”. In Nice, Gourdel’s home city, flags were flown at half mast on Thursday. |
| Before a crisis meeting at the Elysée on Thursday due to be held immediately on the French president’s return from New York, Hollande said flags would be flown at half mast throughout the country until Sunday. | Before a crisis meeting at the Elysée on Thursday due to be held immediately on the French president’s return from New York, Hollande said flags would be flown at half mast throughout the country until Sunday. |
| Gourdel’s killers decapitated their hostage 48 hours after giving a deadline for France to accede to demands to stop bombing Isis in Iraq. | Gourdel’s killers decapitated their hostage 48 hours after giving a deadline for France to accede to demands to stop bombing Isis in Iraq. |
| On Thursday, Hollande said the air strikes would continue. | On Thursday, Hollande said the air strikes would continue. |
| Barack Obama used an address to the United Nations general assembly in New York on Wednesday to issue a call to arms against what he called Isis’s “network of death”. The US president warned the militants to “leave the battlefield while they can”. | Barack Obama used an address to the United Nations general assembly in New York on Wednesday to issue a call to arms against what he called Isis’s “network of death”. The US president warned the militants to “leave the battlefield while they can”. |
| In the UK, David Cameron is convening a cabinet meeting to prepare for a Commons debate in which he will warn MPs that Britain is set to join a long but necessary war against Isis in Iraq. | In the UK, David Cameron is convening a cabinet meeting to prepare for a Commons debate in which he will warn MPs that Britain is set to join a long but necessary war against Isis in Iraq. |
| He has the support of the Labour party and Liberal Democrats to join the coalition air strikes as soon as this weekend, as long as they are for the moment confined to Iraq, where the elected government has called for Britain to intervene. | He has the support of the Labour party and Liberal Democrats to join the coalition air strikes as soon as this weekend, as long as they are for the moment confined to Iraq, where the elected government has called for Britain to intervene. |