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US strikes Syrian group planning 'imminent' attack

Obama stresses America not alone in fight against ISIS; senior White House official confirms separate strike on al-Qaeda-affiliated Khorasan group

The United States made strikes in Syria to disrupt planning by the Khorasan group, an al-Qaeda affiliate, to launch imminent attacks against US or European targets, a senior White House official told reporters on Tuesday.

 

 

"For some time now, we've been tracking plots to conduct attacks in the United States or Europe," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser.

 

"We believe that attack plotting was imminent and that they had plans to conduct attacks external to Syria," Rhodes told reporters traveling with Obama to the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

 

Cruise missile launched from US ship (Photo: AP)
Cruise missile launched from US ship (Photo: AP)

 

Earlier on Tuesday, President Barack Obama said the participation of five Arab nations in airstrikes against militants in Syria "makes it clear to the world this is not America's fight alone."

 

"Last night we also took strikes to disrupt plotting against the United States by seasoned al-Qaeda operatives in Syria or known Khorasan group. Once again it must be clear to anyone who would plot against American, try to do Americans harm, that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people."

 

Obama says the joint fight against the Islamic State will take time but is vital to the security of the United States, the Mideast and the world.

  

In a separate action from the air strikes against the Islamic State group, the US bombed a cell of al-Qaeda militants in northwestern Syria after concluding they were close to attacking the US or Europe, Pentagon officials say.

 

Army Lt. Gen. William Mayville, the Pentagon's operations chief, told reporters that the Khorasan Group was nearing "the execution phase of an attack either in Europe or the homeland."

 

US-led coalition's strikes on Syria    (צילום: רויטרס)

US-led coalition's strikes on Syria

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The Khorasan Group, which consists of al-Qaeda veterans who fought in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is focused on attacking the West, not the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Mayville said.

 

The general added that it was too early to describe the effects of the eight air strikes against Khorasan Group targets, or say who may have been killed.

  

"America is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with these nations," Obama said during remarks from the White House shortly before departing for New York. "This is not America's fight alone."

 

The president planned to meet with the leaders of the nations that participated in the airstrikes Tuesday afternoon.

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.23.14, 19:48
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