IS oil 'minister' killed in US raid

US commandos killed a senior Islamic State group leader in a nighttime raid into Syria, American officials said on Saturday, as IS jihadists seized the northern part of Syria's ancient desert city of Palmyra.

Across the border, IS battled Iraqi army reinforcements in the strategic western city of Ramadi, while Turkey said its armed forces had shot down a Syrian helicopter that had violated its airspace.

US President Barack Obama approved the special forces raid on Al-Omar in east Syria on Friday night to capture senior IS leader Abu Sayyaf and his wife Umm Sayyaf, the government said.