US aims to boost offensive against Islamic State global network

Washington: The United States on Monday sought to rally greater cooperation among allies seeking to crush the Islamic State group's "global network," on the heels of attacks in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad.

Special envoy Brett McGurk urged allies to "increase pressure on ISIL at its core," the State Department said.

"We need to do more as a coalition to coordinate our efforts and pressure ISIL across its global network," it added, using another acronym for the group.

McGurk was speaking during a meeting he and Vice President Joe Biden had with top representatives of the 65 coalition members at the State Department -- including French, Italian, Turkish and Lebanese officials -- who have been bombing IS positions in Syria and Iraq for more than a year.