(VOVworld) – On Thursday, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter confirmed President Barack Obama’s viewpoint that the battle against IS is not a fight with Muslims or Islam.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter listens at left as Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar speaks during their joint news conference Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, at the Pentagon. (Photo: AP)

At a press conference with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar in Washington, Mr. Carter said the Islamic State is an extremist group which threatens the US and must be defeated. Earlier, at a hearing of the US Senate Armed Service Committee, Mr. Carter said in order to escalate the fight against IS militants, the US military stands ready to send more American personnel and attack helicopters to Iraq to retake the city of Ramadi from IS.

On the same day, the Pentagon said the finance minister and two other senior leaders of IS were killed in recent airstrikes by the coalition.