French Command Ship to be Deployed Against the 'Islamic State'

The French presidency states that the country's military will utilize the aircraft carrier 'Charles de Gaulle', its largest warship, for battles against the group known as the 'Islamic State' in Syria and Iraq. Currently, France is using six Rafale fighters in the United Arab Emirates and six Mirages in Jordan for its operations. The country hosted an international meeting to combat the 'Islamic State' in September of last year, where it was agreed to provide military assistance to Baghdad and conduct airstrikes in Iraq. A year later, the French military joined the coalition air operations in Syria, conducting its first strike in that country last October. Last spring, the aircraft carrier 'Charles de Gaulle' completed a two-month mission in the Persian Gulf, serving as the center for the country's airstrikes against the 'Islamic State' in Iraq. After that mission, 'Charles de Gaulle' returned to the port of Toulon. According to the French news agency, during operations in the Persian Gulf, 10 to 15 air missions were conducted daily from this carrier. In February of last year, during attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris and a hostage situation at a Jewish supermarket, 17 people were killed. Following those attacks, François Hollande, the President of France, stated that his country would 'never surrender' in the face of threats from Islamist extremists. Participation in airstrikes in Syria is also framed as a defense of France. The French news agency reports that the military has conducted a total of 1,285 air operations in Iraq, with 271 resulting in strikes and a total of 459 targets destroyed. However, only two airstrikes in Syria have been identified by France so far. The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle operates on nuclear fuel and can accommodate up to 24 fighters simultaneously on its deck.