IS: France hits targets in Syria for the first time

PARIS: -- France has carried out air strikes for the first time against targets associated with the group calling itself Islamic State.

French aircraft have destroyed a training camp in the eastern Syrian city of Deir el Ezzor.

President Francois Hollande is at the UN in New York.

“France launched air strikes in Syria this morning,” he told reporters. “We hit a training camp which could pose a threat to our national security.”

Until now, Paris has refused outright to be involved any action that could help the Assad government.

Observers say this latest policy shift shows combating the militants is a greater priority.

Meanwhile, Russia’s President says Bashar al-Assad deserves international support.

Speaking ahead of a meeting with US President Barack Obama in New York, Vladimir Putin branded US support for anti-government forces in Syria as “illegal”.

World leaders are meeting at the UN in New York and the pressure is on to find a diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis.

Russia’s increased military involvement in Syria, coupled with the refugee crisis the conflict has provoked in the region and the EU, has added increased urgency.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-09-28

The operational end of this whole 'who's in, who's out, part time' anti-IS coalition is becoming increasingly absurd.

The US hits a target or two, then maybe the UK, then other assorted players like the Jordanians, and now the French. Even the Russians are in on the game but have their own ball, their own field and a more mysterious agenda than the others. Seems the only tangible thing being accomplished is the flying community is getting some real world training in putting (a limited number of) live weapons on target.

Point is, there isn't any defined objective, any real coordination, any metrics for measuring success/failure or the slightest idea of what the endgame is supposed to look like. It's a mess.

Committing military force without a clearly understood purpose, identifiable goals and a viable game plan is a formula for failure.

These 'Here we go again' experiences are getting awfully old.

A downright conspiracy nonsense post has been removed as well as a reply.

"Russia’s President says Bashar al-Assad deserves international support."

NO.

It is the Syrian People that deserve international support and protection from a genocidal ruler. But Putin knows his naval base will not survive a regime change and like Asaad will sacrifice the Syrian population to keep it.