Hollande details French strikes in Syria

France has been part of the US-led coalition bombarding IS in Iraq since September 2014, and has carried out 215 out of almost 4,500 strikes there, according to French and USA figures. “We are trying to establish a few kind of coordinated framework”, Putin said in an interview with CBS television.

The French presidency said that the strikes hit targets identified as a result of aerial reconnaissance missions over the past two weeks.

Referring to the risk of radicalized fighters returning home after fighting with Islamic State, he said: “There are more than 2,000 militants in Syria from the former Soviet Union”.

“Civilians must be protected against all forms of violence” coming from ISIS and other terror groups but also “deadly bombings” by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the statement said.

The diplomat whose name was not revealed said Hollande made the remarks during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in New York on Sunday.

France’s escalation comes as the U.S.is seeking to engage in fresh diplomatic action, in coordination with Russian Federation, to ease Mr. Assad from power and pave the way for succession.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, however, told ARD television on Sunday that the formation of a transitional Syrian government should be kept separate from discussions on the future of Assad.

“Iran is a player [in the region], but also a facilitator”, the unnamed French official said.

Six French jet fighters targeted and destroyed an Islamic State training camp in eastern Syria in a five-hour operation on Sunday, President Francois Hollande announced, making good on a promise to go after the group that he has said is planning attacks against several countries, including France.

He said such camps no longer existed.

France has been firing air strikes on ISIL extremists in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition since a year ago, but had resisted air raids in Syria because it did not want to strengthen president Bashar Al Assad.

In January, Islamist extremists killed 17 people in three days of shootings in Paris and in August a gunman tried to attack a high-speed train but was thwarted by passengers.

In addition, Paris has become alarmed by Islamic State gains in northern Syria and the possibility of France being sidelined in negotiations to reach a political solution in Syria.

The president announced earlier this month a change in French strategy – expanding its airstrikes over Iraq into Syria.