Manama---Top US and French military officers on Sunday will fly to a French aircraft carrier in the Gulf to get an update on the air war on Islamic State jihadists in Iraq.
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, accompanied by his French counterpart, General Pierre de Villiers, are due to land on the deck of the Charles de Gaulle later on Sunday in waters north of Bahrain, officials said.
The unusual visit by America's top-ranking officer underlines the improving ties between the US and French militaries in recent years as well as a friendly rapport between the two top generals, officials said.
In contrast to the bitter arguments over the US invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003, which was opposed by France, Paris and Washington now mostly see eye-to-eye on the threat posed by the IS extremists.
US officials have frequently praised France for its military interventions in the Sahel region of Africa against Al-Qaeda-linked militants, and have offered logistical and other support.
Apart from the United States, France has the largest number of aircraft and troops deployed in the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group, which last year seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria.
The Charles De Gaulle deployed to the Gulf last month, weeks after Islamist extremist attacks left 17 people dead in Paris.
The carrier has 12 Rafale and nine Super Etendard fighter jets on board, which have been carrying out bombing raids in Iraq.
France also has fighter jets based at airfields in the United Arab Emirates and in Jordan. But the carrier allows the planes to reach Iraq in half the time it takes aircraft from the bases on land.
The nuclear-power ship is France's lone aircraft carrier.
Out of 2,700 air strikes against the IS group since August, non-US partner countries have carried out 20 percent of all raids in Iraq and 10 percent in Syria, US military officers said.
European warplanes have played a leading role in the strikes near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, with nine raids last week.
France has so far ruled out taking part in bombing missions over Syria.
AFP
