The French Government Spokesman Confirms France Presence In Libya

The French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll confirmed presence in Libya, reported Reuters.

Le Foll said he could not confirm a report in Le Parisien newspaper, citing an Associated Press report, which said two French special forces soldiers had been killed in Libya on Sunday, according to Reuters.

However, the French government spokesman confirmed that French special forces were present in the country.

He said,”Special forces are there, of course, to help and to make sure France is present everywhere in the struggle against terrorists.”

Moreover, France and the United States are preparing a coordinated strike against Islamic State on the militant group’s stronghold in Mosul, Iraq,

Le Foll said on France Info radio,”(French Defense Minister) Jean Yves Le Drian is in Washington. He is preparing with the Americans a coordinated attack on Mosul.”

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke about a Washington meeting of the anti-Islamic State coalition in an interview with Reuters.

This month, Middle East Eye has obtained air traffic recordings that revealed a multinational military operation involving British, French and US forces is coordinating air strikes in support of General Khalifa Haftar battling Islamist militia groups from a base near Benghazi in eastern Libya.

Earlier reports suggested the presence of an international operations center that is assisting Gen. Haftar in his campaign to gain eastern Libya from groups he has declared to be “extremist”.

The new leaked tapes obtained by Middle East Eye confirmed the previous reports. The recorded tapes reached  to MEE from the Benina air base, which is considered to be Haftar’s most important military facility.The tapes showed at least one air strike that was heard being coordinated, which total just under an hour in length, suggesting the operations room is not simply being used for reconnaissance, reported MEE.