French aircraft carrier to move to Gulf 'in a few days

President Francois Hollande has announced the deployment of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Middle East to join in attacks against ISIS forces in Iraq. 

The nuclear-powered vessel will travel to the Gulf with its battle group where it will be in position to attack ISIS targets in Iraq with its complement of 20 combat aircraft. 

Speaking today on the vessel, which is the flagship of the French navy, President Hollande said the current situation 'justifies the presence of our aircraft carrier'.

The deployment will take place as part of the multi-national operation 'Inherent Resolve'. 

President Hollande told personnel on board the aircraft carrier: 'Thanks to the Charles de Gaulle we will have precious intelligence.' 

France was the first country to join the United States in attacking ISIS although it has ruled out launching strikes in Syrian territory.

It has about 800 military personnel, nine fighter jets, a maritime patrol aircraft and a refueling plane at its base in the United Arab Emirates as part of its 'Chammal' Iraq mission, as well as an anti-aircraft warship in the Gulf. It also operates six Mirage fighter jets from Jordan.

France also has more than 3,000 troops carrying out counter-insurgency operations against al Qaeda-linked militants in the Sahel-Sahara region.

It has urged African nations to step up cross-border cooperation to tackle security challenges from Islamist groups in southern Libya to Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria as it seeks to scale back its military commitments on the continent.

Hollande reaffirmed that France would reduce the number of troops deployed in the Central African Republic, where it has handed control of peacekeeping operations to United Nations missions.

France had deployed 2,000 troops to curb Christian-Muslim violence in the country. This will fall to 800 by the autumn.

A week after Islamist militants carried out a series of attacks in Paris, killing 17 people, Hollande said 10,500 military personnel would be deployed across France as of Wednesday evening to bolster domestic security.

The president added that the government needed to review the rate of cuts to French military personnel planned over the next three years to take account of security needs.

Caption : French President Francois Hollande, second left, flew to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle today