France Launches First Airstrikes Against Islamic State in Iraq

France carried out its first air strikes against the Islamic state militants in Iraq, Friday.

Two French Rafale jets fired laser guided bombs to destroy the weapons and fuel depot of the Islamic State in the northern city of Mosul, officials said, reports the Associated Press.

According to an Iraqi military spokesman, several Islamic State militants were killed in the strikes.

President Hollande said that more operations will be carried out in the coming days to weaken the Islamic State and to help the Iraqi authorities.

However, he said that France would not send ground troops to Iraq.

"In no case will there be French troops on the ground: This is only about planes that, in liaison with Iraqi authorities (and) in coordination with our allies, will allow for a weakening of the terrorist organization," he said, reports AP.

He also emphasized that French involvement would be limited to Iraq and it would not attack targets in Syria.

France Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Friday denounced the Islamic State militants at a U.N. Security Council meeting called to show support to Iraq in fighting the militants.

"We are facing throat-cutters," Fabius said.  "They rape, crucify and decapitate. They use cruelty as a means of propaganda. Their aim is to erase borders and to eradicate the rule of law and civil society," he added, reports AP.

France conducts operations in Iraq from French airbase 104, which is inside the Al Dhafra base in Abu Dhabi in U.A.E. The base has a strength of 750 French personnel and six Rafels.

Meanwhile, a car bomb blast in the Karrada area of Baghdad killed at least eight people and injured more than 20, officials said, reports Al Jazeera. In another incident, a motor cycle bombing in central Kirtuk killed eight people and left 13 wounded.