Germany flies aid to Iraq as Britain considers sending arms to Kurds
Britain says it would consider ‘positively’ any request for arms from the Kurds to help them battle Sunni militants
Five German air force planes have taken off for Iraq with 36 tonnes of humanitarian aid to help civilians uprooted by fighting in the north of the country.
Air force spokesman Captain Andre Hesse said the planes left early on Friday carrying drinking water, blankets, medicine and food to be unloaded in Irbil and handed over to UN organisations.
Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said earlier this week that Germany was planning to also send non-lethal military aid such as vehicles, night-vision gear and bomb detectors.
This comes as Britain said it would consider “positively” any request for arms from the Kurds to help them battle Sunni militants who have seized much of Iraq, a spokeswoman for the prime minister said.
The United States has asked European countries to supply arms and ammunition to Kurdish forces, US and European officials have said.
Premier David Cameron has so far said Britain’s response would be limited to a humanitarian effort, but London has also been transporting to Kurdish forces military supplies, such as ammunition, being provided by other nations.