France Launched Airstrikes Against Islamic State militants

France has launched its first airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria, on targets it identified after two weeks of surveillance flights.

 

French President Francois Hollande told reporters at the United Nations that six jet fighters hit an Islamic State training camp near the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Paris was acting in “self-defense.”

'Autonomous' strikes

Earlier, Hollande’s office said the Sunday strikes were conducted “autonomously” of the U.S.-led coalition attacking insurgent positions in Iraq and Syria, but coordinated with it.

"Our country thus confirms its resolute commitment to fight against the terrorist threat" represented by the Islamic State, the statement said. "We will strike each time that our national security is at stake."

"Civil populations must be protected against all forms of violence," coming from the Islamic State and other terrorist groups, "but also against the deadly bombings of (Syrian) President Bashar al-Assad," Hollande's statement said.

Until Sunday, France had only taken part in airstrikes against the jihadists in neighboring Iraq. Paris has carried out 215 of the nearly 4,500 strikes there.