War on terror

Fighting IS group in Iraq prevents terror at home, Hollande tells troops

President François Hollande visited Baghdad on Monday, meeting the French forces battling the Islamic State (IS) group and holding talks with Iraqi officials.

Speaking to French soldiers in Baghdad charged with training Iraqi special forces, Hollande said: "Taking action against terrorism, here in Iraq, is also preventing acts of terrorism on our own soil." Hollande had come to Iraq in 2014 and remains the most prominent head of state to visit the country since the launch two and half years ago of a US-led coalition against the jihadists.Wishing the soldiers a happy new year, Hollande said 2017 “will be a year of victory, here, against terrorism”.