Hollande details French air strikes against IS

Hollande details French air strikes against IS

PanARMENIAN.Net - Six French jet fighters targeted and destroyed an Islamic State training camp in eastern Syria in a five-hour operation on Sunday, September 27, President Francois Hollande announced, making good on a promise to go after the group that he has said is planning attacks against several countries, including France, the Associated Press reports.

The multiple airstrikes were the first in Syria by France as it expands its mission against IS, until now centered in Iraq.

"The camp was totally destroyed," Hollande said Sunday after arriving at the United Nations, before the start of a major development summit and the UN General Assembly bringing together world leaders.

Hollande told reporters the strikes on the training camp, and others to come, were aimed at "protecting our territory, cutting short terrorist actions, acting in legitimate defense."

“France is talking with everyone and excluding no one,” Hollande said at the UN. While “all concerned parties” must be included, he also stressed that “the future of Syria cannot (include President) Bashar Assad,” AP says.

Sunday, September 27’s air raids on the IS training camp site in the Euphrates valley lasted about five hours, the Defense Ministry said, with fighter jets — five of them Delta-winged Rafales, taking off from Jordan and the Persian Gulf, the ministry said without naming the Gulf location.

Hollande said more strikes "could take place in the coming weeks if necessary." The targets were identified in earlier French reconnaissance flights and with information provided by the coalition.

The president announced earlier this month a change in French strategy — expanding its airstrikes over Iraq into Syria.

France has carried out 215 airstrikes against IS extremists in Iraq as part of the coalition since last year, the Defense Ministry said earlier this month. But it previously held back on engaging in Syria, citing concern over playing into Assad's hand and the need for such action to be covered by international law.

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