France continues strikes against IS in city of Kirkuk

France’s Rafale fighter jets have struck a training center of the Islamic State (IS) militant group overnight in Iraqi city of Kirkuk, French army’s chief staff Peter de Villiers said on Friday.

As part of the coalition military offensive to halt the militants’ advance, French aircraft dropped 70 bombs, of which 12 were laser-guided, to destroy 12 targets in northern Iraq in the early hours of the morning, de Villiers told the local broadcaster Europe1.

“We made an important operation in Iraq. We destroyed buildings where Daesh produced their traps, bombs and weapons to attack Iraqi forces,” he said, adding more fighter jets would be deployed “if necessary” to crack down on Daech insurgents in Iraq.

For its Chammal operation in the conflict-torn Arab state, Paris has mobilized nine fighter jets and tanker aircraft to help destroying IS targets.

The strikes were the seventh by French jets since Sept. 19 when France joined the United States-led military offensive against Islamist militants in Iraq who have taken major cities in the country and forced thousands to displace.