Macron vows to fight ISIS in Iraq After French soldiers' deaths

French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his commitment to combat the Islamic State group in Iraq during a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani following the deaths of three French soldiers in August, as announced by the Élysée Palace on Wednesday. 

Macron assured Al Sudani of "France's commitment to continue fighting against ISIS and its resolute commitment within the international coalition alongside the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the Syrian Democratic Forces, as well as its support for the Iraqi people, especially in the areas liberated from ISIS," as stated by the French Presidency. 

The phone call came Tuesday, hours after the announcement of the death of a member of the French special forces during an operation against jihadist movements in support of the Iraqi army. Four other French soldiers were wounded during the operation. 

Two other French soldiers were previously killed under different circumstances in August. 

An Iraqi security source in Kirkuk reported on Monday evening a joint operation "by Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service and soldiers from the French forces stationed at K-1 Base in Kirkuk, ambushed by jihadists from the Islamic State group in the Al-Ghaith desert in Saladin Governorate, adjacent to Kirkuk province.” 

The source added that three members of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service were also injured, indicating that the clashes lasted "for more than five hours." 

The Élysée statement added, "The Iraqi Prime Minister thanked the President and paid tribute to the memory of the three soldiers who were killed in Iraq in recent days." 

Around 600 French soldiers are deployed in the region as part of Operation Chammal, the French component participating in the international coalition established in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. 

After its sudden rise in 2014 and the capture of vast areas in Iraq and neighboring Syria, the Islamic State group witnessed the collapse of the self-proclaimed "caliphate" following successive attacks in both countries. 

AFP