Hollande reiterates need to form 'vast coalition' against IS despite existing divergence

French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech during a meeting of French mayors in Paris, France, November 18, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

PARIS -- "We must form a vast coalition to hit Daesh (IS) decisively," French President Francois Hollande said on Wednesday, few days after the Islamist cell claimed it was responsible for the attacks of last Friday in Paris.

"The international community must rally around that spirit. I know very well that each country doesn't have the same interests and even allies," he told a gathering of city mayors after the police finished a raid on fugitive terrorists in Saint-Denis in northern Paris.

"I call on the international community to take part in what could destroy (Daech) army which threatens the whole world," he added.

In this context, Hollande said he would meet his American counterpart Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week to discuss "the necessary coordination of our action and how to work decisively and in the best delay to meet our objective (to eradicate IS insurgents)," he said.

France was the first European country to join US-led coalition against IS. Its fighter jets have bombed the group in Iraq since 2014.

Paris decided at the end of September to strike Daech targets in Syria where hundreds of French nationals have been recruited and could return home to carry out attacks after being trained there.

However, Paris and Moscow are not coordinating their strikes in Syria where the fate of the president Bashar al-Assad is still overshadowing diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

Hollande's plead for an international offensive to combat Islamist fighters in Syria and Iraq came after coordinated armed groups stormed restaurants at the capital's 10th and 11th districts and a theatre hall, as well as a national soccer stadium last Friday.

A raid was carried out early Wednesday morning in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis following a tip-off the French police received on Monday indicating the presence of Abdelhamid Abaaoud in France.