French PM says strikes on IS in Syria "necessary"

French air strikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria would be "necessary," said French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday, adding surveillance mission over the conflict-torn Arab country would last as long as needed.

Speaking to lawmakers at the National Assembly, Valls said France alone would choose targets to attack in Syria that were identified during surveillance flights.

"However, these strikes will not contribute to strengthening the regime of (Syrian president) Bashar al-Assad," the French leader stressed.

Valls added several reconnaissance flights had already been conducted and that they "would last the necessary time, certainly several weeks."

Last Tuesday, French Rafale fighter jets carried out surveillance flights aimed "to better identify and locate the Daesh targets to be able to strike them on Syrian soil," Valls said.

"Any ground intervention would be inconsistent and unrealistic. But, if a coalition of countries in the region was formed to liberate Syria from Daech, these countries would have France's support," Valls told lawmakers.

"The fight against terrorist is a long fight. It must be conducted with the support of local forces that are in the first line on the ground," he added.

The French prime minister also ruled out a deal with the Syrian leader, urging a political solution.

Breaking rank with his European partners, France was the first to hail Syria's new opposition coalition as the sole representative of its people and as "future government of a democratic Syria."

Paris has been providing weapons to opposition Syrian Kurdish forces. It also pushed, in 2013, for a strong international response and the use of force in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syria before U.S. and British allies backed off the operation. Endit