PARIS
France is considering a military response 'if necessary' against the Islamic State group, or IS, according to a statement by the presidency Wednesday.
France is considering a response, "if necessary a military one in accordance with international law, to fight against the IS and the threat it poses to the entire region," read the Elysee statement.
Speaking after a defense council meeting, French President Francois Hollande said "the importance of political, humanitarian and, if necessary, military response against IS."
Hollande said that France will continue close consultations with its partners to ensure that a response is coordinated in all fields and at a level that such a global threat would necessitate because of its severity.
The French Presidency also expressed hope to soon organize an international conference in Paris on security in Iraq and the fight against the Islamic State.
On Tuesday, the militant group released a video claiming to show the beheading of 31-year-old reporter Steven Sotloff, who held a dual U.S.-Israeli nationality, in retaliation for recent U.S. airstrikes in Iraq.
Fighters from the Islamic State, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, who already control parts of Syria, captured the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in June and then surged across the north, taking control of a number of predominantly Sunni cities.
Governments worldwide have been quick to condemn the actions of IS, France saying late Tuesday that the beheading "reveals the despicable nature of this jihadist organization that fights freedom and only knows terror."
www.aa.com.tr/en
