A US official says there are indications Syria launched airstrikes into western Iraq to slow the al-Qaida-inspired insurgency fighting both the Syrian and Iraqi governments.
The group, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, had been fighting along with rebels opposed to President Bashar Assad and has since moved swiftly into Iraq, taking numerous cities in northern and western Iraq.
The US official said the strikes appear to be the work of the Assad government but offered no other details.
The official also said that Iran has been flying surveillance drones in Iraq. Meanwhile, the United States is sending military advisers to assist Iraq. The official spoke only on grounds of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.
