International coalition meets to take stock of Islamic State fight

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Next, to the multinational fight against another terrorist group, the Islamic State.

Representatives from several countries, including the U.S., met in London today to discuss their efforts to cripple the group.

Our chief foreign affairs correspondent, Margaret Warner is there and filed this report.

MARGARET WARNER:

Twenty-one foreign ministers came to the London conference table amidst criticism that gains against Islamic State forces have been slow in coming.

But Secretary of State John Kerry brought an upbeat assessment, using the militant group's Arabic acronym.

JOHN KERRY, Secretary of State: We are taking out Da'esh's fighters in the thousands thus far, single digits, but thousands. Their commanders — well, 50 percent of the top command has been eliminated.

MARGARET WARNER:

President Obama began assembling the international coalition last August after Islamic State forces surged into Iraq and threatened Iraqi Kurdistan.

The group now encompasses some 60 nations, including several Arab and Gulf states, working to curb the Islamic State's military capability, financing and online appeal. And a few, led by the U.S., are carrying out scores of airstrikes every week.

Kerry declared that Kurdish and Iraqi allies have made some strides on the ground as well.

JOHN KERRY:

In recent months, we have seen, definitively, Da'esh's momentum halted in Iraq and in some cases reversed. Ground forces supported by nearly 2,000 airstrikes now have reclaimed more than 700 square kilometers from Da'esh.

MARGARET WARNER:

But Islamic State fighters continue to hold a large swathe of Iraq and Syria, including Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, in the north.

Earlier this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi complained his troops are not receiving weapons and ammunition quickly enough. Today, in London, he struck a more conciliatory tone.

HAIDER AL-ABADI, Prime Minister, Iraq:

The international coalition which we attended today will strengthen our resolution to fight Da'esh. I have asked before for more support, and I think my call didn't go unnoticed.

MARGARET WARNER:

In turn, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, a former defense minister, sought to reassure the Iraqis.

PHILIP HAMMOND, Foreign Secretary, United Kingdom:

This campaign is not going to fail for the want of some guns or some bullets in the hands of the Iraqi security forces.

MARGARET WARNER:

The conference came on the heels of jihadist terror attacks in coalition member countries France, Canada and Australia and Islamic State threats to kill two Japanese hostages. All have intensified public pressure to go after the militants at home and abroad.