France calls for Raqqa operation while Mosul offensive is underway

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian urged the coalition to begin the battle against Raqqa, the ISIS bastion in Syria, while the offensive on Mosul was still underway. He told Europe 1 radio Sunday that the battle on Mosul would be long and complicated, given that Islamic State was embedding itself within the local population. France is the second biggest contributor to the anti-ISIS coalition.