Pentagon: IS battle now costing $8.3m per day

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said in updated figures on Monday the average daily cost of the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants has risen to $8.3 million, or a total of $580 million between Aug. 8 and Oct. 16.
The new average reflects an increase in the intensity of US operations against the group in Syria and Iraq. The Pentagon said a week ago the average daily cost was $7.6 million, or a total of $424 million since Aug. 8.
The US-led coalition carried out fresh air strikes against IS militants on Monday as Washington called for the battle against the terrorist group to be taken to the Internet.
Fighting continued to rage for the strategic Syrian border town of Kobani, and in Iraq a suicide bomber was reported to have killed at least 14 pro-government fighters south of Baghdad.
The US military said its fighter jets and bombers carried out four more air strikes near Kobani on Sunday and Monday, destroying five IS vehicles and an IS-held building.
Washington has forged an alliance of Western and Arab nations to combat the group and on Monday met with coalition partners in Kuwait City to boost efforts to counter the IS group’s online propaganda.
Retired US general John Allen, who is coordinating the US-led campaign against IS, told participants that the group was promoting its “horrendous brand of warfare” online, where it “recruits and perverts the innocent.”
Allen said: “It is only when we contest Islamic State group’s presence online, deny the legitimacy of the message it sends to vulnerable young people... it is only then that IS will truly be defeated.”
After the talks the coalition partners promised to take steps to boost efforts to prevent the recruitment of foreign fighters for IS, including online.
IS operates a sophisticated presence online, posting frequent propaganda videos and publishing its own expertly designed magazine.
Concern is growing over the group’s online influence in attracting foreign fighters and promoting attacks on Western targets.
The US military said the coalition had also carried out seven new strikes against IS in Iraq on Sunday and Monday, including near the key Mosul dam and southeast of the militant bastion of Fallujah.