Kuwait- Hollande welcomes first British strikes against ISIL in Syria

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) PARIS Dec 3 (KUNA) -- French President Francois Hollande on Thursday said he welcomed reports that British aircraft had undertaken their first strikes in Syria earlier in the day following a Parliament vote late Wednesday to approve Britain joining the air campaign against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria. The British strikes were carried out from an airbase in Cyprus where the RAF has deployed Tornado aircraft.Hollande's office said in a statement that the British action was "a new response to the call for solidarity" that the French President made on November 16 after the terrorist attacks here November 13 which killed 130 people. ISIL claimed responsibility for the spate of six shootings and three suicide bombings in and around Paris.The Elysee Palace noted that Germany has also offered to help against ISIL in Syria with deployment of air tankers and reconnaissance planes. This decision will be put before the German Bundestag on Friday for parliamentary approval. (End) jk.rk