The Pentagon said Wednesday that the first phase of military operations against the so-called Islamic State (Daesh) in Iraq and Syria is completed, and that the U.S.-led coalition is now focused on “dismantling” the militant group, according to the Washington Times.

Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said coalition forces have stopped Daesh from advancing, and have degraded the extremists’ military capabilities. 

“We are in the second phase of this operation now, and our task is to dismantle the enemy, fragment them in Iraq and Syria,” Col. Warren said. “Our enemy has been weakened and we are now working to fracture him.”

The U.S. began launching airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in August 2014. Col. Warren said the coalition has “achieved much” in the 20 months since then.

“A year-and-a-half ago, we saw images of Daesh convoys moving freely into Mosul and throughout Iraq. Those days are gone,” he said. “Daesh has lost more than 40 percent of the territory it once controlled in Iraq and in Syria. While Daesh can still put together some complex attacks, they have not been able to take hold of any key terrain for almost a year now. We’ve struck leaders, supply lines, fighters, industrial base and funding sources in both Iraq and Syria.”

Source ; MENA