Warplanes from the French aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" engaged in their first combat mission, striking Islamic State positions in Syria and Iraq on Monday.
French carrier Charles de Gaulle carried out their first strikes against IS. pic.twitter.com/H7TzG3bc4S
— PJ de Jong (@jong_pj) November 23, 2015
The ship houses 18 Rafale fighter jets, eight Dassault Super-Etendard supersonic deck attack aircraft and two Hawkeye aerial early warning aircraft (AEW). The carrier's crew consists of 1,9 thousand sailors, pilots and mechanics.
EN DIRECT. Premières missions en Irak et Syrie pour les avions du «Charles-de-Gaulle» >>https://t.co/V7CmvYzGN1 pic.twitter.com/naFxZzvB4p
— Le Parisien (@le_Parisien) November 23, 2015
France's only aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle was deployed in the Mediterranean late Saturday after the November 13 terrorist acts in Paris saw 130 killed and over 360 injured.
Earlier it was reported that Charles de Gaulle will be joined by an anti-submarine frigtate La Motte-Picquet, a multi-purpose frigate Aquitaine and an auxiliary ship called Aviation.
Starting September, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is accompanying the Leopold of Belgium frigate and the French Chevalier Paul frigate.
The Islamic State (ISIL) jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the coordinated mass shootings and suicide bombings near a football stadium, in a concert hall and outside several restaurants in Paris.
Hollande imposed a nationwide state of emergency, since extended by French lawmakers. The presumed organizer of the Paris attacks, born in Belgium and suspected of training in Syria, was confirmed killed in an anti-terror raid in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis last week.
The UN Security Council voted on Saturday to adopt an anti-terrorism resolution drafted by France to "redouble and coordinate" efforts against ISIL.
