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France conducts successful airstrike on Islamic State

French President Francois Hollande confirmed France had conduced airstrikes in Iraq on Islamic State targets.

By Gabrielle Levy
French President Francois Hollande (R) and Iraqi President Fouad Massoum attend the Conference for Peace and Security in Iraq at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris on September 15, 2014. The conference aims to gain support for an international alliance against radical terrorist groups, particularly the Islamic State (ISIS). UPI/David Silpa
French President Francois Hollande (R) and Iraqi President Fouad Massoum attend the Conference for Peace and Security in Iraq at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris on September 15, 2014. The conference aims to gain support for an international alliance against radical terrorist groups, particularly the Islamic State (ISIS). UPI/David Silpa | License Photo

PARIS, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- French forces conduced airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq Friday, the first of many in coming days.

French President Francois Hollande confirmed the strikes on IS targets in Iraq, and said French jets had conducted reconnaissance flights and provided weapons to Kurdish fighters on the ground.

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"The objective was hit and completely destroyed," the president said. "Other operations will follow in the coming days."

A spokesman for the Iraqi military, Qassim al-Moussawi, named the town of Zumar as the French target, adding that the strikes had killed dozens of militants.

Hollande said Thursday France would only target IS in Iraq, not in Syria. And at a conference in Paris Monday, 26 more countries pledged commitment to join the effort to fight IS, bringing the total coalition members of 40 nations.

The U.S. is likely to begin airstrikes in Syria, and this week, Congress passed approval of the administration's plan to train and arm Syrian rebels.

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