French lawmakers vote to extend air campaign in Iraq

Okay for strikes targeting Islamic State jihadists sails through after Paris attacks; PM says war on terror ‘not over’

By AFP 13 January 2015, 10:13 pm

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French Rafale fighter jets flying on a reconnaissance mission against the Islamic State over Iraq after taking off from the al-Dhafra base in the United Arab Emirates, September 15, 2014. (photo credit: AFP/ECPAD/EMA/Armee de L'air)

PARIS, France — French lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved continuing air strikes against Islamic State jihadists in Iraq as part of a US-led coalition.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls urged parliament to extend the operation saying “our mission is not over… we are faced with a war against terrorism.”

While the vote is routine, required to extend any French military intervention after four months, it comes as the country is in mourning after being struck on home soil in a series of jihadist attacks that left 17 dead last week.

France joined the coalition in September and has carried out a handful of strikes against the group but has not joined the United States in its air war against IS in Syria.

President Francois Hollande said in December the country’s action had “allowed indisputable progress and military and therefore political success.”

Lawmakers agreed to extend the operation, with 488 for, one against and 13 abstentions. The political consensus was reinforced following the attacks on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and on a Jewish supermarket in Paris. A policewoman was also separately gunned down by one of the attackers.