France strikes ISIS targets

Twelve French warplanes have bombarded Raqqa, the de facto “capital” of IS in Syria, two days after bombing and gun attacks in Paris killed 129 people.

The air strikes late on Sunday were the first since the Paris attacks, and saw 12 French air force planes drop 20 bombs on Islamic State group positions.

Sunday's bombing was the biggest French air raid that has taken place in Syria so far, and was described as a "massive" attack by a French defence ministry spokesman, reports UK-based The Independent.

According to a statement released by the ministry, the first target that the planes destroyed was a command post, which housed a recruitment centre and arms and munitions depot.

The second target to be destroyed in the raid was a "terrorist training camp".

The French planes took off from bases in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, in an operation that was conducted in co-ordination with US forces.

Shortly after the raid, the French air force released a video of the imposing planes taking off for their bombing mission.

Meanwhile, France President Francois Hollande has said his country is committed to "destroying" the IS.

Speaking at a joint session of both houses of parliament yesterday, he declared that "France is at war". He promised to eradicate terrorism, but not at the expense of France's freedom.

He said he would table a bill to extend the state of emergency declared after the attacks for three months and would suggest changes to the constitution.

France's military campaign against IS in Iraq and Syria will also intensify, Hollande added.

IS says it carried out the attacks on bars, restaurants, a concert hall and a stadium in which 129 people died.

The French president said he would travel to meet US President Barack Obama and Russian Vladimir Putin in the coming days to discuss action against the group.

Anti-IS activist group, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, has said that no civilians were killed or injured in the French bombing raids, citing sources in local hospitals.

There are indications that more strikes against IS are ahead - the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle will set sail for the Persian Gulf on November 18, as was announced before the attacks on Friday.

The aircraft carrier will make more planes available for use against ISIS, and will also dramatically cut the time it takes for French planes to reach their targets in the region.

The Charles De Gaulle is capable of carrying up to 40 jets and helicopters, and will "bolster Paris' firepower in the region," as President Francois Hollande said.

Hollande called the Paris attacks an "act of war" in a speech on Saturday, and said "France will be merciless towards these barbarians."

Prime Minister Manuel Valls has also vowed to "destroy" those behind the attacks.

Thousands of French soldiers have been deployed on the streets of the country, to provide reinforcements to regular police while France endures a three-day period of national mourning and a state of emergency.

'WAR' DECLARED

Also yesterday, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that "war" had been declared on France and that "anybody who attacks the Republic, the Republic will fight back."

"It is not they who will destroy the Republic. The Republic will destroy them," he said.

France has been part of the U.S.-led coalition of nations fighting ISIS from the air, but after Friday's attacks that killed 129 people and wounded more than 350 others, France has flown more sorties.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which France's President described as "an act of war."

'STRIKES ARE SYMBOLIC?

France has been conducting airstrikes against IS targets in Syria since September as part of a US-led coalition, reports CNN.

A senior Obama administration official said that the United States was "working closely with the French to develop targets."

The US military probably handed over a list of targets the coalition was planning to strike to the French to let them fly the sorties, said retired Lt Gen Mark Hertling, a military analyst. "These target packages were already in folders, as they're called, and I'm sure the central command handed them over to the French fighters to attack for the symbolism of France being back in the fight."

The timing of the new airstrikes probably is no coincidence, analysts said.

"Clearly, it's a military activity, but it really sends a very strong political message, and it's all for internal consumption within France," said retired Maj. Gen. James "Spider" Marks, a CNN military analyst. "This is very visceral."

IS in Raqqa was also the target of retaliatory airstrikes in February.

Two days after news emerged that the group had burned a captive Jordanian pilot to death, the Middle Eastern nation hit back. At the time, IS posted photos of the destruction from the Jordanian airstrikes, and the activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 10 militants had been killed.