AS so-called “Jihadi John” continues to hide his face behind a cowardly black mask, we welcome the progress being made to build a coalition to counter the Islamic State (IS) militants who have taken over large areas of Syria and Iraq.

As we said yesterday, a united front against IS is the only answer to the kind of savagery which has led to the beheading of hostages, including most recently British aid worker David Haines.

Foreign ministers from 30 countries taking part in a conference in Paris yesterday pledged to join the campaign to combat IS “by all means necessary”.

That follows a whirlwind tour of the Middle East by US Secretary of State John Kerry, which has won the support of five key countries: Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

The concern remains that Iran has yet to come to the table but the level of international support is encouraging ahead of the UN general Assembly next week.

With several Arab countries reported to have offered to take part in co-ordinated airstrikes, the world appears to be ready to take the fight to the terrorists whose barbarism has no bounds.

With IS building momentum in terms of territory, and a threat to kill a second British hostage, Alan Henning, time is clearly of the essence.

It is always right to build a global coalition before resorting to military intervention and it is reassuring to have the “full-throated”

backing of Sunni governments.

But the sooner decisive action is taken against IS, the better because the threat grows with each day that passes.

The torment of Alan Henning’s loved ones must be unbearable. Our thoughts are with them.