French Begin Air Strikes on ISIS

France Bombards ISIS Strongholds in Syria

ISIS claims Raqqa as the capital of its so-called caliphate.

On Monday, France targeted a command center, a recruitment center, an ammunition storage base and a training camp in the city, the French military said.

Brussels raid: Police hit Molenbeek, area at heart of Belgium's jihadist threat

On Sunday, the air force struck similar strategic targets in multiple sorties, reinserting France, a partner in the U.S.-led coalition striking ISIS from the air, into the battle against ISIS.

Many bombs, few killed?

A group of anti-ISIS activists in Raqqa reported 24 bombs dropped and 30 explosions overnight into Monday. Mostly the suburbs were hit, but in the city, the stadium and the museum were also struck, said Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently.

ISIS uses the museum and the stadium as jails. Its headquarters are also in the stadium, the activists said.

On Sunday, 12 aircraft dropped 20 bombs on ISIS positions in Raqqa, destroying all targets, France's Defense Ministry said.

But French bombs may have killed few of the militants. The Islamist terror group has withdrawn from its sites in anticipation of the retaliation, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently said. Streets have been empty, markets less crowded.

No civilian casualties have been reported, the activist group said, and the civilian population does not seem particularly worried.

The activists said there have been ISIS casualties but could not say how many.

An ISIS media wing has said there were no casualties Sunday.

Check out these related articles from our site:

Putin is Using Bomb-Sniffing Rats to Fight ISIS

Is The US Finally Getting Serious About ISIS?

Could ISIS Attack On Independence Day?