Air strikes by a U.S.-led coalition destroyed a large cash distribution site of the Islamic State (IS) group that was located in the Iraqi city of Mosul, U.S. defense officials said January 11.
Two 2,000-pound bombs hit a facility that contained "we estimate in the millions of dollars...from all their illicit stuff: oil, looting, extortion," the official said.
It was the biggest operation targeting cash facilities to date, the official said, adding it was not clear if the money had been in U.S. dollars, Iraqi dinars, or some other currency.
CNN, which first reported the strike, said the U.S. military believed between five and seven civilians were killed.
The U.S.-led coalition has been increasingly targeting the militant group's money-making capabilities, including by bombing trucks that carry illicit oil across Syria.
Under pressure from critics who say the campaign is moving too slowly, the Pentagon has indicated it would consider a wider array of targets even if these might cause civilian deaths, provided these attacks yield significant gains.
