French aircraft carrier ‘ready to act’ on Monday
Defense minister announces Charles de Gaulle ship operational this week amid stepped-up effort in Syria
France’s defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Sunday that French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle had been sent to help operations against Islamic State militants in Syria and would be “operational” from Monday and “ready to act.”
France has intensified its aerial bombing in Syria since Islamic State militants attacked a concert hall, cafes and restaurants and a stadium in Paris, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds.
Le Drian told French media on Sunday that Islamic State must be destroyed at all costs.
“We must annihilate Islamic State worldwide,” Le Drian said, adding, “that’s the only possible direction.” He said any country “who wants to participate militarily is welcome.”
The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution Friday urging all nations to coordinate in efforts to destroy Islamic State. The resolution called Islamic State “a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security” and expressed the council’s determination “to combat by all means this unprecedented threat.”
French President Francois Hollande is meeting in Paris with British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday, then going to Washington and Moscow later in the week to push for a stronger international coalition against Islamic State.