U.S., allies conduct 12 air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces conducted 12 air strikes against Islamic State targets in seven Iraqi cities on Saturday, the U.S. military said. The strikes destroyed buildings, excavators, heavy machine guns and a tunnel system and struck Islamic State tactical units and rocket-firing and mortaring positions, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Sunday. The strikes occurred near Mosul, Sinjar, Tal Afar, Baiji, Falluja, Baghdadi and Makhmur, it said in a statement. One strike was conducted in Syria, near Aleppo, it said. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Mark Heinrich)