Islamic State crisis: Iraq air strikes 'halt IS advance'

Iraqi ground forces, backed by air strikes, appear to have halted advancing Islamic State (IS) militants in a town west of Baghdad, the BBC reported.

The BBC's Lyse Doucet in the Iraqi capital says the air strikes followed clashes with IS militants, who have been making gains towards the capital.

Amariya al-Falluja, 40km (25 miles) from Baghdad, is a key strategic town.

It comes as a US-led coalition continues to carry out air strikes on IS targets in Syria and Iraq.

The area around Amariya al-Falluja is now said to be calm, but there is a standoff along the main road to Falluja to the north, which is controlled by IS, the BBC’s correspondent says.

In an US television interview on Sunday, President Obama candidly admitted the US had "underestimated" the threat of IS.

He said a political solution - one that would arise out of an accommodation between Sunni and Shia populations - was key to defeating the jihadists.