US strikes ISIL positions in Homs

The US-led airstrikes hit ISIL targets in Syria’s central province of Homs for the first time on Saturday, a monitoring group said.

According to a UK-based Syrian opposition group, terrorists in Minbej, east of Aleppo, along with other targets were struck.

"The US-Arab coalition has for the first time struck IS (ISIL) bases in the eastern desert of Homs province," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Rahman said that “at least 31 explosions were heard in Raqa city and its surroundings".

A US defense official told AFP on Friday that the camping is analogous to US-led airstrikes on ISIL terrorists in Iraq, involving "near continuous" combat flight missions in Syria.

The United States also plans to train and arm 5,000 “moderate” militants in Syria to fight against ISIL but according to General Martin Dempsey, the number would be something between 12,000 and 15,000.

Dempsey said on Friday that the forces would include Iraqis, Kurds as well as “moderate” militants from Syrian opposition groups, who will all try to recapture “lost territories” in eastern part of the country.

The US and its partners began airstrikes against ISIL in Syria on Tuesday morning. The bombings also happened in Iraq.

US aircraft, along with fighter jets from France and several Arab countries, have been bombing several areas in Iraq.

Iraqi sources say at least seven civilians, including children, were killed in a US airstrike in the city of Mosul.

Human rights activists have estimated that up to 24 civilians have been killed in airstrikes.