France Launches Airstrikes In Iraq

France Launches Airstrikes In Iraq
French President Francois Hollande speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, at United Nations headquarters. Hollande responded to the beheading of French mountaineer Herve Gourdel by an Algerian splinter group from al-Qaida over France's airstrikes on the Islamic State group. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
French President Francois Hollande speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, at United Nations headquarters. Hollande responded to the beheading of French mountaineer Herve Gourdel by an Algerian splinter group from al-Qaida over France's airstrikes on the Islamic State group. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

(Adds details on targets)

PARIS, Sept 25 (Reuters) - French fighter jets struck four hangars belonging to Islamic State and containing military equipment on Thursday near the Iraqi city of Fallujah, the Defense Ministry said.

Rafale fighter jets flying over Iraq identified the targets and launched laser-guided missiles at the targets west of the capital Baghdad shortly before 10 a.m. Iraq time, the ministry said in a statement.

The strikes were the first by French jets since Sept. 19 when Paris joined the United States military action against Islamic State insurgents in Iraq who have taken over parts of the country. (Reporting By Julien Ponthus and Nicholas Vinocur; writing by John Irish; Editing by Andrew Callus)

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