Total military victory over Islamic State imminent, Macron says

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday total military victory against the Islamic State can be reached in the coming weeks.

 

In a New Year's speech to French soldiers on a ship in the French navy port of Toulon, Macron said the battle against the Islamic State, however, does not end on the ground.

 

France has pushed for peace talks involving all parties in the six-year-old Syrian conflict, including President Bashar al-Assad.

 

Despite being a leading backer of the Syrian opposition, France has sought a more pragmatic approach to the Syrian conflict since the arrival of Macron, saying that the departure of al-Assad was not a pre-condition for talks.