Here’s how the US is countering the Islamic State group during Syria’s upheaval

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Massive U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Syria are meant partly as a message to the group and a move to ensure that the insurgents don’t try to take advantage of the chaos following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad’s government. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh says the U.S. and its partners want to make sure the Islamic State can’t step into the leadership void. The U.S. struck about 75 IS targets in the Syrian desert over the weekend. The U.S. has had troops in Syria for the last decade to battle the Islamic State group. Officials say that while the group is vastly weaker than in 2014, it still has thousands of militants in Syria.