France says anti-Islamic State fight remains top priority

France’s foreign minister said on February 5th that sustaining the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) remains an “absolute priority” for Paris after talks in Damascus, as France reassesses its regional strategy following clashes in northeastern Syria, according to Asharq Al-Awsat via AFP.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in the Syrian capital as part of a regional tour that will also take Barrot to Iraq and Lebanon, the French foreign ministry said.

The discussions focused on preventing a resurgence of ISIS after the withdrawal of Kurdish-led forces from Syria’s north.

Asharq Al-Awsat via AFP, Maghrebi.org