France launches air strikes in Syria

France has carried out its first air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria. French planes destroyed a training camp in the eastern town of Deir al-Zour, President Francois Hollande said. A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq for more than a year. Speaking in New York, […]

France has carried out its first air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria.
French planes destroyed a training camp in the eastern town of Deir al-Zour, President Francois Hollande said.
A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq for more than a year.
Speaking in New York, Mr Hollande said a political solution was needed to end the Syrian crisis, but President Bashar al-Assad could not be part of it.
France, like the UK, has previously confined its air strikes against the IS group to Iraq.
The UK announced earlier this month it had carried out a drone strike against two British citizens in Syria but has yet to fly manned operations in Syrian airspace.
Islamic State took control of swathes of the country in 2014. Mr Assad has been accused of killing tens of thousands of his own citizens with indiscriminate bombing in rebel-held areas.