Britain to arm Iraqi Kurds with heavy machine guns
An initial $2.6 mn arms shipment has been announced by UK Foreign Secretary Michael Fallon
Peshmerga fighters will begin receiving heavy machine guns from the UK (AA)
Published date: 12 February 2015 23:15 GMT
|
Last update: 9 years 9 months ago
Britain is to ship heavy machine guns to Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State jihadists in Iraq, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced Tuesday.
The arms shipment, worth $2.6 mn, will arrive in Iraq on Wednesday.
"The Kurdish forces remain significantly less well equipped than ISIL (Islamic State) and we are responding to help them defend themselves, protect citizens and push back IS advances," he said in a written statement to parliament.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
