Anti-ISIS coalition to step up airstrikes

The U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition will step up airstrikes on jihadi targets in Syria and Iraq, the coalition said Thursday, arguing that its four-month-long offensive has began to show results by halting ISIS advances across the war-torn region, The Daily Star reported.

A joint statement released after the end of a coalition meeting in Brussels Thursday said the 60-nation group agreed to reinforce capacity building and training for the Syrian opposition, curb the flow of foreigners into the country, and to cut off ISIS's financing.

The statement made no indication that ground forces would be deployed to Syria or Iraq despite the call by some members to send soldiers.

The coalition highlighted the suffering of the Syrian people, urging all parties to the conflict to respect the rules of international humanitarian law and to facilitate humanitarian access to war victims.