French president hails UK strikes in Syria

French President Francois Hollande on Thursday hailed Britain's airstrikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria as an act of solidarity in response to his call for a global anti-terror coalition.

In an Elysee statement, Hollande welcomed the first British air operations in Syria conducted immediately after a majority vote in parliament.

Late on Wednesday British lawmakers approved bombing the IS in Syria alongside France and the United States. British fighter jets reportedly took off from a base in Cyprus early Thursday to attack IS targets in Syria.

In the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris last month, Hollande called on European partners to unite to tackle terrorism and eradicate militants in the restless Arab region where political instability helped terrorism to flourish.

"The enemy is not an enemy of France. It's an enemy of Europe. Everyone is now faced with its responsibilities," the French president told lawmakers at Versailles in November. Endi