France flies surveillance missions over IS-held areas of Libya
French military aircraft have flown reconnaissance and intelligence missions over Libya, including areas controlled by Islamic State, and more are planned, a presidential document shows.
According to the press dossier provided on Friday ahead of President Francois Hollande's visit to the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier off the coast of Syria, two missions were flown on Nov. 20 and 21 around the towns of Sirte and Tobruk.
French warplanes have been bombing Islamic State in Iraq for more than a year, and in Syria since September. France stepped up its bombing in Syria after the attacks by Islamic State (IS) in Paris on Nov. 13 that killed 130 people.
The French government had not previously acknowledged carrying out operations over IS zones in Libya. Sirte is controlled by the group.
