France extends airstrikes in Iraq on Islamic State group

PARIS (AP) – France’s lower house of Parliament has approved extending French airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq.

The vote Tuesday came after France’s worst terrorist attacks in decades last week. A man claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group killed four people in a kosher market and a policewoman in Paris while two brothers claiming ties to al-Qaida in Yemen killed 12 people at a Paris newspaper office.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls, speaking to the National Assembly ahead of the vote, said “France is at war against radical Islam” but he insisted “France is not at war against Islam.”

France quickly joined the United States in conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State last year. French law requires a vote on extending such operations after four months.