PARIS (Sputnik) — France will continue to assault Islamic State (ISIL) positions in Syria as long as it is necessary, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Wednesday.
“Reconnaissance flights were a prelude to the strikes, which began on Sunday, when the ISIL’ camp was bombed. We will continue this operation for as long as needed. And we will continue it independently,” Valls said.
Paris recently authorized the French air force to carry out airstrikes in Syria, without consulting or informing Damascus.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stressed that carrying out airstrikes within Syrian territory without official government approval is against international law.
Syria has been in a state of civil war since March 2011. Government forces have been clashing with "moderate" opposition factions and extremist groups, such as Islamic State and the Nusra Front.
According to the UN, the armed conflict has killed over 250,000 people and displaced over 11 million, making it the largest humanitarian crisis on the Earth.
