Syria: 'World should unite against Islamic state'

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has said that "all the world should align with each other to fight IS and other terrorist groups".

Speaking to the BBC's Jeremy Bowen, Mr Mekdad backed US air strikes, but suggested efforts should be "co-ordinated rather than being based on certain alliances and coalitions".

He also denied that government forces had ever targeted civilians during the country's bitter civil war, despite widespread evidence to the contrary.