PARIS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- One French soldier was killed on Saturday morning during a mission in the Iraq-Syria region, the French Presidency, the Elysee said on Saturday.
"The President has learned with great sadness the death in the Levant this morning of soldier from the 13th regiment of para-troopers killed in fighting," the Elysee said in a statement.
France was the first European country to join the coalition in September 2014 with the launch of Operation Chammal at the request of Iraqi authorities. Baghdad had asked for an enhancement of military support for local forces to combat IS, which is bent on imposing its version of Islamic law in Iraq and Syria.
One year later, France backed military offensive against IS targets in Syria after the terrorist cell claimed responsibility for Paris attacks which left about 130 victims.
