DHAKA: US president Barack Obama called on the US Congress to pass a new authorisation of force against the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

Obama said a US-led coalition of countries is stopping the advance of the ISIS in Iraq and Syria, The Straits Times publishes this report on Tuesday.

‘I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorise the use of force against the ISIL (IS),’ he said in his annual State of the Union address, using another acronym for the militant group.

Obama said the United States stands side by side with the victims of terror, referring to Pakistan and Paris.

BDST: 1315 HRS, JAN 21, 2015