German army sends first arms shipment to northern Iraq
Reuters
2014-09-25
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Germany has sent the first arms shipment to northern Iraq to help ill-equpped Kurdish Peshmergas and Iraqi soldiers fight Islamic State (IS) militants who have taken over swathes of Iraq and sent thousands fleeing.
The German army loaded the McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 aircraft with anti-tank missiles, assault rifles and heavy machine guns as well as protective eye gear and medical supplies.
A total of 600 tonnes of military gear will be sent on several flights from Germany to Iraq until the beginning of October.
Western countries including the United States have agreed to train Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq to help the growing alliance to defeat IS militants, but no nation is willing to send ground troops.
The Kurds failed their first major test on the battlefield last month, when IS militants overran their positions in northwestern Iraq, prompting air strikes by the United States.
Germany has ruled out taking part
Germany has sent the first arms shipment to northern Iraq to help ill-equpped Kurdish Peshmergas and Iraqi soldiers fight Islamic State (IS) militants who have taken over swathes of Iraq and sent thousands fleeing.
The German army loaded the McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 aircraft with anti-tank missiles, assault rifles and heavy machine guns as well as protective eye gear and medical supplies.
A total of 600 tonnes of military gear will be sent on several flights from Germany to Iraq until the beginning of October.
Western countries including the United States have agreed to train Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq to help the growing alliance to defeat IS militants, but no nation is willing to send ground troops.
The Kurds failed their first major test on the battlefield last month, when IS militants overran their positions in northwestern Iraq, prompting air strikes by the United States.
Germany has ruled out taking part
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