Western countries vow to 'intensify campaign' against ISIS

Top military officials from seven members of United States-led coalition fighting Daesh (IS) pledged on Wednesday to muscle military cooperation and reinforce strikes to uproot the terrorist cell.

Gathered in Paris, defense ministers of France, the United States, Australia, Germany, the UK, Italy and the Netherlands reaffirmed their "commitment to work together with the entire coalition to accelerate and intensify the campaign against Daesh, in order to deliver a lasting defeat to this barbaric organization."

In a final statement, the participants pointed to "the need to continue gathering momentum in our campaign, as it moves into its next phase targeting Daesh's vulnerabilities," they said.

Western military chiefs also agreed on regular review on the coalition military campaign and the progress in its implementation.

At a joint press conference with his American counterpart Ashton Carter, French Defense Minister Jean Yves Le Drian said the IS was in retreat "because we have been able to hit its resources, it's now time to increase our collective effort by implementing a coherent military strategy."
 Xinhua -china.org.cn
21/1/16