WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Tuesday said the Islamic State group was losing ground in Iraq and Syria, and that the number of foreign fighters joining the extremists was plummeting.
"ISIL lost nearly half of the populated territory it had in Iraq and it will lose more. ISIL continues to lose ground in Syria as well," Obama said after a meeting of the National Security Council on the fight against the jihadist group.
"In short, our coalition continues to be on offense. ISIL is on defense," Obama said, using an alternate acronym for the group.