France identifies two of its citizens among IS members

Sydney, Nov 19 (EFE) French President Francois Hollande Wednesday confirmed that his country's authorities have identified two French citizens among those who appeared in a video of Islamic State (IS) Sunni radical group in Syria.

The two individuals appeared in a video that was posted Sunday in which the militants executed 18 Syrian prisoners and a US aid worker.

"All we can say for now is that there were two French people," Hollande said at a press conference in Canberra accompanied by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

French authorities identified one of the IS members as Maxime Hauchard, 22, from northern France, while details of the second militant are yet to be disclosed.

Hollande said that his country was doing everything it could to prevent its citizens from joining the IS ranks.

"We must be vigilant, and we must be strong," he remarked at the conclusion of a bilateral meeting with Abbott.

According to French government data, around 1,000 French citizens have fought in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq on the side of the militants, and 375 of them are still fighting while at least 36 have died in battle.

--IANS/EFE

ab/bg