At least 50,000 ISIS militants killed in Iraq and Syria: US officials

Reports state that around 16,000 airstrikes were conducted with planes and drones against the jihadists.

US Airstrikes Syria Iraq — The US however will continue refuelling the Saudi-led coalition aircraft involved in the Yemen campaign. [Representational Image]Reuters

At least 50,000 Islamic State (ISIS) militants have been killed in Syria and Iraq by the coalition led by the United States, ever since the operation began in the region in 2014, according to a senior US military official.

Reports state that around 16,000 airstrikes were conducted with planes and drones against the jihadists in the region by the members of the coalition fighting against ISIS. Most of the strikes were conducted in Iraq.

The official said that the number of casualties in the battle against the Islamist members show that the onslaught against the terrorist organisation has had a significant impact on the enemy. He also stated that the 50,000 casualties was a conservative estimate.

"I am not into morbid counts but that kind of volume matters, that kind of impact on the enemy," the official said on Thursday on condition of anonymity, according to AFP. He also added that the air campaign against ISIS had been very pristine in terms of avoiding civilian casualties. According to the official, the bombs dropped on the target were done with smart weapons, which can be directed to the precise target, leaving the surrounding areas unharmed.

The US authorities last month had released the data stating that a total of 173 civilians were killed in the onslaught so far. However, rights group and critics have a different take on it and say that the number of civilian casualties are far higher than what is revealed by the US government.

The official said that the coalition against ISIS has diminished their power and have shrunk them to their last remaining power centres in Mosul and Raqa. Colonel John Dorrian, the coalition spokesman, had earlier said that in the battle of Mosul, the ISIS militants are trying to turn adolescent fighters as their battlefront fighters have been wiped out in the onslaught.

"As this effort goes on with each passing day, Daesh has fewer fighters and fewer resources at their disposal," Dorrian said in a videocall, using an Arabic ISIS acronym.