U.S. reports 27 air strikes against Islamic State in Syria, Iraq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and it allies conducted 27 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq on Wednesday, the U.S. military said. Eleven air strikes were carried out in Syria, including seven near the city of Hasaka, the U.S. military said in a statement on Thursday. In Iraq, militant targets were hit in 16 strikes near eight different cities, it said. The Pentagon said on Wednesday the U.S. military had carried out its first drone strike from a base in Turkey against Islamic State targets in Syria. Thursday's statement said the strikes were carried out by fighter planes, fighter-attack aircraft and drones, but did not say where they took off from. (Reporting by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Bill Trott)