Refueling and maintaining the massive flattop cannot be delayed any longer, according to French officials, but France is intent on assisting the effort against Daesh in other ways.
"Daesh is enduring tremendous pressure," Rear Admiral Olivier Lebas said, adding, "it’s very important to maintain this high pressure to take advantage of this positive momentum in the theater."
Previously, French President Francois Hollande had postponed the maintenance, expected to last about a year. The Charles de Gaulle has deployed over 1,000 airstrikes over Iraq and Syria since the start of September 2015, Stars and Stripes reports, including at least 100 strikes since the battle over Mosul began.
Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces have continued their push into Mosul as Russian allies have advanced into Aleppo. Meanwhile, Kurdish forces are also working to isolate Raqqa, Daesh’s capital, according to Stars and Stripes.
