France conducts first airstrikes against ISIS in Syria since Assad regime change

In a statement on the social platform X, Minister Lecornu verified that French military aircraft had carried out precision strikes deep within Syrian territory targeting ISIS hideouts.

This is a locator map for Syria with its capital, Damascus. (Photo: AP)
This is a locator map for Syria with its capital, Damascus. (Photo: AP)

Dec. 31, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – France has carried out significant air operations against ISIS targets in Syria, marking its first military engagement in the country since the collapse of the Assad regime.

The French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the operations after he visited French peacekeeping forces in Lebanon.

In a statement on the social platform X, Minister Lecornu verified that French military aircraft had carried out precision strikes deep within Syrian territory targeting ISIS hideouts.

The Minister highlighted France's commitment to counter-terrorism operations in Syria, emphasizing that these strikes signify a continuance of their security strategy in the region.

As stated by Agence France-Presse, the operation involved Rafale fighter jets working in coordination with U.S. air forces.

The joint operation targeted two ISIS facilities and hideouts in central Syria, employing seven bombs in a coordinated strike.

This military action builds upon France's established counter-terrorism presence in the region, which started with its involvement in the international coalition in Iraq in 2014, followed by its expansion into Syrian operations in 2015.

The recent strikes reveal France's continued commitment to regional security and counter-terrorism efforts, now operating within the changed political landscape of post-Assad Syria.

 
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