Several French fighter jets deployed from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier Friday as part of an anti-terror operation against ISIS in Mosul. The Iraqi city has been under the jihadist army's control since June 2014.
According to French radio station RTL, 24 Rafale fighter planes will take part in the mission – France's third with the U.S.-led coalition since France stepped up military operations after last year's Paris terror attacks.
A French defense official, however, told The Associated Press that Friday's operation was "in no way" the start of a Mosul offensive. She declined to elaborate further for security reasons.
Meanwhile, Iraqi forces, which have made significant advances in the fight for Mosul, are preparing for an offensive to retake the city.
News of Friday's mission comes one day after a warning from the United Nations that at least 700,000 people in Mosul would be in need of aid once the assault on the city begins.
"Mosul has the potential to be one the largest… disasters of many, many years," the RT News quoted Bruno Geddo, the U.N. refugee agency's main representative in Iraq.
The battle for Mosul is considered to be key in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq. According to UPI, President Barack Obama is predicting Iraq's government will regain control of the city by the end of the year.
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