France carried out its first airstrike against the Islamic State group in Iraq on Friday, boosting US-led efforts to unite the world against the growing threat posed by the jehadists.
More than a decade after Paris famously refused to back the invasion of Iraq, France became the first nation to join the US aerial campaign in the war-torn country.
“This morning at 9:40, our Rafale planes carried out a first strike against a logistics depot of the terrorist organisation Daesh (IS),” President Francois Hollande said.
The statement from his office said the target was in northeastern Iraq but did specify exactly where, only adding: “The objective was hit and completely destroyed.” France, as well as Britain, had already sent aircraft into Iraq’s skies for surveillance missions but Friday’s strike was its first offensive operation against the jehadists.
US aircraft have carried out more than 170 strikes since August 8