The representative of Iraqi Kurdistan ASO Talabani said that the militias are counting on arms shipments from Russia in the near future. About it, on Thursday, March 31, reports “Interfax”.
Talabani said that Iraqi Kurds are ready to participate in the active phase of the operation to liberate Mosul. The representative of the Kurds added that the militia is actively cooperating with the Iraqi army and international coalition forces. “They are very helpful in transmitting information to the Iraqi military on the positions of terrorists”, — he said.
Earlier that Russia has supplied to the Iraqi Kurdistan, the party of five anti-aircraft installations ZU-23-2, in comments to RIA Novosti reported attaché of the Russian Consulate General in Erbil Artem Grigoryan. According to him, the weapons were handed over to Kurdish militia on 14 March in the presence of senior Russian diplomats, including Russian Ambassador to Iraq and Consul General. Also the Kurds was supplied to 20 thousand rounds.
Later, on 17 March, the press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that has no information about Russian arms supplies to the Kurdish fighters of the militia.
The militias of Iraqi Kurdistan — Peshmerga — has for several years actively fighting against the Islamic state (terrorist group forbidden in the Russian Federation). The number of militia is from 3 to 5 thousand fighters, armed mostly with small arms of Soviet and Western production. Quantitative data about the presence of armed militia heavy equipment vary widely.
