Francois Hollande in Iraq to review war on ISIL

French President Francois Hollande has arrived in Baghdad to meet the French forces helping Iraq in the fight against ISIL and to hold talks with top officials.


Hollande, who was travelling with French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, had already visited in 2014 and remains the most prominent head of state to come to Iraq since the launch two and half years ago of a US-led coalition against the armed groups.

"We're not done with the plight of terrorism. We have to keep on fighting it," Hollande said in a New Year address to the nation that was broadcast on French television.

France has around 500 troops fighting alongside coalition forces in Iraq, backed by Rafale fighter jets.
  [aljazeera.com]
2/1/17