France vows to continue air strikes until Iraqi army gains upper hand

France's prime minister vowed to continue its military action in Iraq until the local army can gain the upper hand against Islamic State militants surging through the country.

"This military commitment has taken the form of aerial operations over Iraqi territory. We will not however deploy French ground troops. We will stay committed however for as long as is needed for the Iraqi army to gain the upper hand over Daesh," Manuel Valls told French MPs, using an alternative name for the Islamic State group.