Italy to Send Weaponry, Instructors to Iraq to Fight ISIL

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni confirmed that Italy will support Iraqi central government as well as the government of Iraqi Kurdistan in their fight against ISIL.

ROME (Sputnik) — Italy will continue to support Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan in its fight against Islamic State (ISIL) militant groups by providing them with weaponry and sending instructors, the country's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Tuesday.

“We have confirmed Italy’s commitment to support Iraqi central government as well as the government of Iraqi Kurdistan in their fight against ISIL, in which Kurdish Peshmerga troops have achieved significant success. Our commitment consists of providing weaponry and sending instructors to Baghdad and Erbil,” Gentiloni said during press conference with the Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Nechervan Barzani.

Gentiloni added that the situation in Iraq remains “very difficult’, despite some apparent progress, and requires the efforts of all the members of the anti-IS coalition, including those of Kurdish troops.

Earlier today, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that he was willing to send an additional 300 troops to train Iraqi soldiers fighting against the ISIL militant group.

The ISIL jihadist group launched an offensive in Iraq in June 2014 and has since taken control of large territories in the country. The militants have also seized large parts of Syria where they have been operating since 2012. The US-led coalition comprising more than 60 countries is conducting air strikes against the militants in both countries.