Hollande: French air strikes have completely destroyed IS target in Iraq

France said on Friday its jets had launched strikes inside Iraq for the first time since the country promised to join military action against Islamic State (IS) insurgents who have taken over parts of the country. “This morning at 9:40 (0740 GMT) our Rafale jets launched a first strike against a logistics depot of the terrorists,” President Francois Hollande’s office said a statement issued shortly after the raids. The target in northeast Iraq was totally destroyed, said the statement, adding that there would be further operations “in the coming days”. Kurdish military spokesman Halgord Hekmat identified the location as Tal Mus, between the city of Mosul and Zumar.

I am aware that this (policy) line I set… will allow us to get results, before 2017 I hope.

President Francois Hollande

Hollande told a news conference on Thursday that French air strikes were imminent and would take place once reconnaissance flights had identified targets. He said the military action would be limited to Iraq, and no ground troops would be sent. France has expressed its willingness to be part of the military, political and financial coalition being created by the United States to defeat IS militants controlling parts of northern Iraq and Syria. The country began its first reconnaissance flights over Iraq on Monday.

We are very happy that France started its raids.

Kurdish military spokesman Halgord Hekmat

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