French war planes have launched an attack on an Islamic stronghold in Syria two days after the group claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks in Paris.
A French army technician inspecting a Mirage 2000 fighter jet at a base in Jordan last month. Photo: AFP
France's defence ministry said the raids, carried out by 10 French fighter jets, were the country's biggest to date.
The weekend's co-ordinated attacks in Paris have left 132 people dead.
In a statement, the defence ministry said, "The raid ... including 10 fighter jets, was launched simultaneously from the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Twenty bombs were dropped."
The operation, carried out in coordination with US forces, struck a command centre, recruitment centre for jihadists, a munitions depot and a training camp for fighters, it said.
"The first target destroyed was used by Daesh (another Arabic acronym for IS) as a command post, jihadist recruitment centre and arms and munitions depot. The second held a terrorist training camp."
The planes left from Jordan and the United Arab Emirates and the operation was conducted in co-ordination with American forces, the ministry said.
On Saturday, French President Francois Hollande blamed the Islamic State group for the gun and suicide attacks in Paris on Friday, calling them an "act of war".
France later vowed to pursue its intervention in Syria. It is a a founder member of the United States-led coalition waging air strikes against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
- Reuters / AFP
