France Fights Back: Airstrikes Pound ISIS Stronghold in Syria, Raids around Paris Net Rocket Launchers, Arrests

Aimee Herd : Nov 16, 2015
Newsmax.com

"France is at war." -President Francois Hollande to joint session of parliament.

(France)—Following the horrific terror attacks by ISIS-related Islamist Jihadists in Paris on Friday night, France was quick to respond with massive airstrikes in Syria, bombing targets in and around Raqqa—believed to be an ISIS stronghold in Syria. (French President Francois Hollande addresses Parliament/screengrab)

In addition to the bombing of Raqqa, police reportedly raided homes of suspected Islamist militants throughout France.

The 168 raids culminated in 23 arrests and at least 104 people put under house-arrest, as well as seizing arms which included some rocket launchers.

according to Newsmax, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told reporters, "Let this be clear to everyone, this is just the beginning, these actions are going to continue."

Some 129 people—many of them young people—were killed in the 6-location coordinated terror attacks on Friday, which are being referred to as "France's 9/11."

Also over the weekend, the suspected mastermind of the Paris attacks was identified as Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a "Belgian jihadist believed to be fighting alongside ISIS in Syria," according to a Fox News report.

The U.S. and Russia were two of the nations who offered help to France in combatting ISIS.

French President Francois Hollande spoke to a joint session of the French Parliament on Monday, noting that "France is at war." He proposed a law that would extend the country's state of emergency for three months, but which would be modified so as not to be too restrictive of French citizens' freedoms. (French President Francois Hollande addresses Parliament/screengrab)

It was only the 3rd such address by a French president to a joint session of parliament since 1848.