Via NBC News:
A network of “seasoned al Qaeda veterans” plotting to attack U.S. and Western interests was targeted by airstrikes overnight in Syria also aimed at ISIS, the Pentagon said early Tuesday. Fighter jets and bombers launched 14 strikes in a significant escalation in the fight against ISIS, which the U.S. has pledged to degrade and destroy in wake of the Sunni militants’ bloody rampage through Syria and Iraq.
In a statement early Tuesday, the U.S. military said that in addition to taking out ISIS targets it mounted eight separate strikes overnight “to disrupt the imminent attack plotting against the United States and Western interests conducted by a network of seasoned al Qaeda veterans,” also known as “the Khorasan group.” The strikes against Khorasan — which had established a haven in Syria to plot attacks, build roadside bombs and recruit Westerners to fight — targeted the group’s training camps, explosives production facility, communication building and command and control facilities, the Pentagon said.
More:
US strikes in Syria hit al Qaeda groups–8 strikes on Khorasan to blunt attack prep and recruiting http://t.co/azpi1dFwU9 w/ @julianbarnes
— Siobhan Gorman (@Gorman_Siobhan) September 23, 2014
Jordanian military acknowledges strikes on "terrorist organizations" in #Syria & cites attempts to infiltrate Kingdom’s North & East borders
— margaret brennan (@margbrennan) September 23, 2014
Pictured: Explosions in #Syria following US-led air strikes http://t.co/gPpR0EwBld pic.twitter.com/N0AOehr1op
— ITV News (@itvnews) September 23, 2014
.@CBSDavidMartin: Aircraft carried out 8 strikes against Khorasan safe haven in Syria in effort to disrupt their bomb-making operations
— Norah O'Donnell ?? (@NorahODonnell) September 23, 2014
US air strikes against Isis and Khorasan in Syria – live updates http://t.co/iShuv9iEm6 pic.twitter.com/enabl6ITWr
— The Guardian (@guardian) September 23, 2014
Joint Staff Director of Operations, Lt. Gen. William C. Mayville Jr. will brief on ops in #Syria 1100 ET 1500GMT ad Pentagon #ISIS
— Michael Holmes (@holmescnn) September 23, 2014
.@CBSDavidMartin: Aircraft carried out 8 strikes against Khorasan safe haven in Syria in effort to disrupt their bomb-making operations
— Norah O'Donnell ?? (@NorahODonnell) September 23, 2014
Khorasan group of about 50 veteran AQ fighters from Afghanistan, under command of Mushin al-Fadhli – $7 million bounty on his head. #Syria
— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) September 23, 2014
US official: Khorasan group "nearing execution phase" of a planned attack on US or EU. #Syria
— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) September 23, 2014
Some Kurds who fled to #Turkey during the ISIS advance now trying to go back into #Syria hours after US-led strikes. pic.twitter.com/u5n4pxMREW
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) September 23, 2014
The U.S. and five Arab countries have launched airstrikes on Islamic State militants in eastern Syria http://t.co/vQxYMegPzb
— FOX News Radio (@foxnewsradio) September 23, 2014
What's Assad make of US strikes in Syria? May not have been asked, but says he was told. @MorningEdition @deborahamos pic.twitter.com/ZifEVepyHO
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) September 23, 2014
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