Germany is prepared, in principle, to supply arms and ammunition to the Kurds in northern Iraq, explained Federal Minister of Defence von der Leyen and Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier in Berlin. Which goods can be provided sensibly and responsibly is currently being examined, they added.
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In addition to humanitarian aid and equipment such as helmets and protective vests, the Federal Government is also prepared to supply arms, said Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday at a joint press conference with the Federal Minister of Defence Ursula von der Leyen. He stressed: “All these goods serve to enable Kurdish security forces to defend themselves against attacks by ISIS.”
During the government press conference, Federal Government Spokesperson Steffen Seibert added that Germany is prepared to assist those in opposition to ISIS with arms and ammunition. The Federal Government will also continue to work closely with its European partners on coordinating aid measures, he said.
Federal Chancellor Merkel is deeply shocked by the cruel fate of a US journalist who was killed by the terrorist organisation, Seibert continued. An ISIS video shows the barbaric murder of an individual, he said. This is proof that the terrorist organisation has nothing to offer but cruelty and extremism, he added.
At a special meeting last Friday EU foreign ministers had agreed to permit the supply of arms to Kurds fighting the ISIS terrorist group in Iraq.
Germany had responded quickly to the terrible humanitarian situation of the refugees and begun direct supplies of humanitarian aid in northern Iraq. For instance, the Federal Armed Forces had already delivered 36 tonnes of aid to Erbil, including food, blankets and medical supplies. Another cargo plane organised by the Federal Foreign Office landed in Erbil on Monday morning. The flights will continue.
Germany is providing a total of 24.4 million euros in emergency humanitarian aid. It is to be passed on to people as swiftly and non-bureaucratically as possible via aid organisations such as Unicef, the World Food Programme and non-governmental organisations operating locally.
It is clear to Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier that ISIS will attempt to spread the Islamist terror to other regions of the world. "For this reason, too, it is in Europe’s interest for a stop to be put to the advance of ISIS in Iraq. I am convinced that this will be achieved if the politicians in Bagdad and Erbil mobilise all their forces to this end and are supported by the international community” he explained.