France To Send Aircraft Carrier To Fight IS

France is to send an aircraft carrier to the Gulf to help the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The ship will boost the air power of the US-led coalition as it conducts air strikes in the region.

Named The Charles de Gaulle, it is France's only aircraft carrier and was in the Gulf as recently as April this year during a two-month deployment which saw it support up to 20 flights per day.

The ship is usually accompanied by an attack submarine, frigates, refuelling ships and surveillance planes.

French president Francois Hollande did not say when the carrier will leave its Mediterranean port of Toulon.

France already has 12 fighter planes based in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates involved in the fight against IS.

But Mr Hollande said the carrier would "enable us to be more efficient in co-ordination with our allies".

French planes made their first strikes in Syria in September.

France was also the first country to join the coalition in Iraq and has also given logistical support to Kurds fighting IS.

The announcement of the ship's return to the region was made at the inauguration of the new defence ministry building in Paris.

Dubbed the French Pentagon, it brings together the country's military forces and about 9,300 military and civil staff who were previously based at around a dozen sites.