Ten Arab countries have agreed to help the US in its
fight against the jihadist group, Islamic State (IS).

After talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Jeddah,
they pledged to provide military support and humanitarian
aid, and to halt the flow of funds and foreign fighters to IS.
Mr Kerry told the BBC they were "full-throatedly ready" to
combat the group.
However, Russia warned the US against expanding its
campaign of air strikes from Iraq into neighbouring Syria.
The Russian foreign ministry said any such action, without
the backing of the UN Security Council, would be "an act
of aggression" and a "gross violation" of international law.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama set out his plans to
"destroy and degrade" IS and revealed that he had
authorised air strikes in Syria.

'Danger unleashed'

Mr Kerry has been tasked with building a broad coalition
against IS, also known as Isis or Isil.
On Thursday, ministers representing Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq,
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and
the United Arab Emirates offered their support.

A joint communique declared a "shared commitment to
stand united against the threat posed by all terrorism".
It added that participants had "discussed a strategy to destroy
Isil wherever it is, including in both Iraq and Syria".
"The region recognises the danger that has been unleashed
and they are full-throatedly ready to deal with that and that
is why they committed today to take the actions they have
committed to," Mr Kerry told the BBC.
Nato member Turkey was also at the Jeddah meeting, but
did not sign the communique. Mr Kerry downplayed the
move, saying the important US ally was dealing with some
"sensitive issues" but remained "very engaged and has been
very involved".

Analysis: Barbara Plett-Usher, BBC News, travelling with
John Kerry

John Kerry was exhausted by his marathon day of meetings
but pleased at its result: the Arabs' embrace of Barack
Obama's strategy to combat Islamic State. It's crucial to the
plan that Arab governments see this as much their war as
America's.
Not everything went according to script. Turkey didn't sign
the communique - because of "sensitive issues", said Mr
Kerry, presumably the 49 Turkish hostages held by the
militants - but was "very engaged". The Saudi foreign
minister seems not to have heard that his country agreed to
host the training of Syrian rebels as leaked by US officials.
But Mr Kerry was focused on the big picture: the region
has recognised the danger in its midst and is ready to join
the fight against it, he said; military officials will sort out of
the details of who does what.
Turkey has reportedly been reluctant to take a prominent
role in the coalition, partly out of concern for the 49
Turkish citizens being held hostage by IS.
Mr Kerry also rejected accusations that President Obama is
responsible for the rise of IS because he failed to take action
against the group earlier in the uprising against Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad.
"I think over time people will realise the outgrowth of this is
really the responsibility of Assad himself," he said. "He has
been the magnet that attracted foreign fighters."

Air strikes

Mr Obama has asked the US Congress to approve a bill
seeking $500m (£308m) to fund an increase in the training
and arming of "moderate" Syrian rebels so that they can
take the fight to the jihadist group.
The Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives,
John Boehner, has given his support to the move, telling
reporters: "At this point in time, it's important to give the
president what he asked for."
In Iraq, the US has carried out more than 150 air strikes
against IS.
On Thursday, aircraft attacked jihadist positions near the
strategically important Mosul Dam in support of Iraqi security
forces. The Pentagon said two machine-gun emplacements
and a bunker were destroyed.
The US has also sent hundreds of military advisers to assist
Iraqi government and Kurdish forces, but has ruled out
sending ground troops.