France to step up anti-IS air strikes

  • 20/11/2015
French President Francois Hollande (Reuters)
French President Francois Hollande (Reuters)

President Francois Hollande has ordered French air strikes against Islamic State (IS) jihadists to be stepped up in Iraq as well as Syria following the Paris attacks, his office says.

"Francois Hollande gave the necessary instructions for the intensification of the military operations under way against Daesh in Syria as well as in Iraq," said a statement issued on Thursday (local time) after he met senior cabinet ministers and military chiefs.

At the meeting, Hollande was briefed on the investigation into the coordinated November 13 attacks by IS jihadists that left 129 people dead.

"The council studied all the measures to boost the protection of our fellow citizens," the statement said.

Also discussed was Hollande's visit to Washington next Tuesday to meet US President Barack Obama, and a trip to Moscow two days later to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Hollande had already announced on Monday an increase in strikes on Syria.

AFP