US defense chief says will look for chances to attack Daesh in Syria from south

Defense Secretary Ash Carter opens the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL Meeting at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, July 20, 2016. Defense and foreign ministers from more than 30 nations are gathering in Washington to plan the next steps in the fight against the Islamic State and to determine what more they can do as the fights for key cities in Iraq and Syria move forward. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

WASHINGTON: The US-led coalition battling Daesh will look for chances to attack the militant group in Syria from the south, potentially expanding US efforts in that part of the country, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday.
“We will aggressively pursue opportunities to build pressure on ISIL (Daesh) in Syria from the south, complimenting our existing and robust efforts,” Carter said, speaking to American troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “This of course will have the added benefits of helping the security of our Jordanian partners and further splitting the Syria theater of operation from the Iraqi theater of operation.”
Recently, much of the US-led military coalition activity, including air strikes in support of Syrian rebels, has focused on northern Syria.