Coalition planes pound IS-held Saddam palace

Coalition warplanes bombed one of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's palaces which was being used as a training base by the Islamic State jihadist group, Britain's Ministry of Defence said Wednesday. The palace in the IS stronghold of Mosul in northern Iraq was attacked in a joint operation by the US-led coalition on Monday, with British Tornado jets targeting the headquarters buildings and a security centre. Extensive surveillance established that the IS group, also known as Daesh, was using the palace and its sprawling grounds as a headquarters and training centre for foreign recruits, the ministry said.