Islamic State significantly damaged — Kerry

Air strikes carried out by the US-led collation on Islamic State (IS) have inflicted "significant" damage on the group's capabilities, US Secretary of State John Kerry says.

Mr Kerry said the campaign against the militant group could take years, but the coalition would remain engaged "as long as it takes".

The US said earlier that Iran, not a coalition member, had carried out air strikes against IS in Iraq.

However, Iran has denied this.

The US said there had been no coordination with the Iranians on any air strikes.

'Danger to all'

Mr Kerry was speaking at a meeting in Brussels of officials from all of the nations involved in the coalition.

"Our commitment will be measured most likely in years but our efforts are already having a significant impact," he said.

Two months of air strikes had "reduced Daesh's [IS] leadership and inflicted damage on its logistical and operational capabilities".

Thanks to coalition action, he said, it had become much harder for IS to "assemble forces and strength, to travel in convoys and to launch concerted attacks".

According to a list compiled by the US state department, nearly 60 countries are members of the coalition, although most play no direct role in the air strikes.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is attending the talks along with foreign ministers from European, Arab and other countries.

They will discuss the best military strategy against IS and how to stem the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria.

Significant differences remain between the US and Turkey, with Turkey demanding the establishment of a safe area along part of its border with Syria before it allows its air bases to be used to launch air strikes.

Credit: BBC