France said on Wednesday it would prolong until mid-December the operations of the French naval group including the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft supporting the operation to take the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the French defence council held at the Elysee French presidential palace earlier in the day to review "military, humanitarian, political and security-related issues tied to the reconquest of Mosul," an Elysee statement said.

"The President has decided to prolong the activities of the aero-naval group contributing to the operation until mid-December", it added.

The group was due to leave the region in mid-October.