Iraq crisis: France to deliver arms to Kurds

[LarryW]

Hope there's some adult supervision coordinating the multi-national logistics, or things could get confusing.

Iraq crisis: France to deliver arms to Iraqi Kurds

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28770519

France will supply arms to Iraq's Kurds "in the coming hours", French President Francois Hollande has announced.

France has received approval from authorities in Baghdad for the decision, French media reports say.

Kurdish forces have been fighting militants from the Islamic State (IS) group. The conflict has displaced thousands of people.

The US has also reportedly begun supplying weapons to the Kurdish forces, known as the Peshmerga.

A statement from Mr Hollande's office said the move was "in response to the urgent need expressed by the regional authorities in Kurdistan".

"For several days, France has had the necessary measures in place to support the operational capabilities of the forces fighting IS," the statement said.

"The catastrophic situation faced by the population of Iraqi Kurdistan means the international community must step up its mobilisation," it went on.

Earlier the US announced it had sent 130 more military advisers to the Kurdish region.

The marines and special operations forces will assess the humanitarian situation and will not be engaged in combat, a US defence official said.

The US has been carrying out air strikes against IS fighters in northern Iraq.

The political leader of Iraq's Kurds, Massoud Barzani, had on Sunday appealed for international military aid to help defeat the Islamist militants.

The United Nations has said that tens of thousands of civilians, including members of the Yazidi sect, are trapped on Mount Sinjar by IS fighters and need "life-saving assistance".

(Cont.)