Kerry, Hollande Discussed Steps Together Against IS

U.S. State Secretary John Kerry and French president Francois Hollande talked on Tuesday about “significant steps” the U.S. and France will take “together” against the Islamic State.

“We’re absolutely committed to increasing our efforts,” Kerry said on Tuesday to reporters after he met with Hollande at the Elysee palace in Paris.

The two countries agreed to exchange more information, Kerry said. He also confirmed that Hollande will travel to Washington in a week to meet with President Obama.

He spoke a day after Hollande addressed both France’s parliament chambers, calling for a global effort to eradicate IS, following attacks on Friday which killed at least 129 people.

France conducted overnight a second wave of airstrikes over Raqqa, IS’s stronghold in Syria. The U.S. and Russia are also conducting their own operations there.

The Islamic State “has lost territory,” Kerry said, noting that the radical jihadist group would feel “growing pressure in coming weeks.”

The Bloomberg Business

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