Germany OKs Arms Deliveries to Kurds in Fight against IS

The German government has approved a move to send a weapons package to Iraq's Kurdish regional authorities fighting Sunni insurgents called Islamic State (IS).

Berlin gave the green light delivery of 16 000 combat weapons 40 machine guns, 240 anti-tank grenades, 500 anti-tank missiles and 10 000 hand grenades at a ministerial meeting late on Sunday, German weekly Der Spiegel wrote on its website.

The supplies should help 4000 of the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in their push against IS, which has made significant gains in Iraq and also in Syria over the past months.

Jeeps and five Dingo 1-type armored vehicles are also to be deployed to Iraqi Kurdistan.

The arms' value stands at EUR 70 M.

Germany is also to grant EUR 50 M of aid to address the humanitarian crisis raging across the region since the IS offensive reached Iraq's north.

Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has explained the step with the need to support local authorities' efforts in the critical situation, as the developments in Iraq could pose a threat to Germany's own national security.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has described the decision as a "tough one", since this is the first time Berlin is sending weapons to a region where battles are fought at the time.

German supplies are due by end-September.

Kurds have recently requested EU arms, and the bloc is also expected to discuss deliveries.