ARAB LEAGUE member states agreed yesterday to combat, either individually or collectively, the self-declared Islamic State (Isis) and other militant groups.

The league did not explicitly back US military action against Isis in a resolution issued following late-night meetings on Saturday.

But it did say that immediate measures to combat the group are to be implemented on the political, defence, security and legal levels.

Arab League secretary-general Nabil el-Araby told reporters late on Sunday that members had decided to consider any armed attack on one country an attack on all.

US President Barack Obama has been trying to build an international coalition to challenge Isis, which has seized control of vast swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, and is expected to lay out his plan to take on the group tomorrow.