Paris: France’s National Assembly (lower house) Tuesday approved to extend by four month military offensive in Iraq targeting the Islamic State (IS), which seized major towns in the OPEC-memeber country.
In an overwhelmingly vote, 488 voters in the 577 member strong lower house, were in favor of longer fight in Iraq versus one voted against.
On Sep 19, France joined US-led coalition operation against IS fighters at the request of Iraqi authorities. Iraq asked for further military support to local forces to halt Islamist fighters’ offensive aimed at imposing their version of Islamic law, in Iraq and Syria.
The parliament vote came after 17 people were killed in three days of violence by three terrorists, who claimed relations with Al Qaeda Yemen and Islamic State.