US wary of reports of IS leader's death

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the so-called Islamic State group, has allegedly been wounded in an airstrike, although Pentagon officials said they have not yet been able to confirm the reports.

Speaking on behalf the American defense secretary Chuck Hagel, Admiral John Kirby said that Central Command is continuing to monitor the reports "very closely", but that they had no confirmation on "who or how many causalities were inflicted" in the strike.

When asked about the general situation in Iraq, Admiral Kirby stated that the military operation against the so-called Islamic State group is likely to "last for years".

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on November 10 2014.