MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier on Monday, French media reported that Hollande had given a speech in front of another French unit, stressing the importance of the fight against terrorism in Iraq as it would help prevent terrorist attacks in France.
"The next objective is Raqqa. France is part of [the US-led international] coalition in Iraq as well as in Syria," Hollande said, as quoted on the Elysee Palace's Twitter.
.@fhollande "le prochain objectif, c'est Raqqa. La France participe à la coalition aussi bien en Irak qu'en Syrie "
— Élysée (@Elysee) 2 января 2017 г.
The president, who had earlier met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi, added that France was advising the Iraqi forces and conducting airstrikes against the terrorists to help them, but it was the Iraqi soldiers who were fighting on the ground and they would be the ones to win back Mosul.
"Our only enemy is Daesh," Hollande stressed.
.@fhollande "Pour nous, le seul adversaire, c'est Daech"
— Élysée (@Elysee) 2 января 2017 г.
On October 17, 2016, Iraqi government forces, backed by the US-led coalition of more than 60 nations, began an offensive to retake the country's second largest city, Mosul, from the Daesh terrorist group, outlawed in Russia and many other countries.
France has participated in the airstrikes against Daesh targets carried out by the coalition, but has not deployed any ground troops.
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