The US has begun flying surveillance missions over Syria to gather intelligence on the Islamic State. The US denied a report that it is sharing intelligence with the Assad regime. Defense Secretary Hagel said that in addition to the US, seven other Western countries are providing weapons to Kurdish forces in Iraq fighting the Islamic State. The IS is demanding a ransom of $6.6 million for the release of a 26-year-old female American aid worker who was kidnapped last year in Aleppo; the terror group is also insisting on the release of US prisoners including Aafia Siddiqui, who has been dubbed “Lady al Qaeda” and is currently serving an 86-year term for attempting to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan. US citizen Douglas McAuthur McCain, 33, of San Diego, Cal., was killed while fighting for the IS in Syria.
