Off the wire
• Urgent: European leaders agree to reinforce migrant rescue mission in Mediterranean  • 3rd LD Writethru: Loretta Lynch confirmed as U.S. Attorney General in Senate vote  • Germany targets European interests for surveillance on behalf of NSA: media  • Germany's benchmark DAX index continues to decline  • Roundup: Malaria kills over 1,200 children a day: UNICEF  • UNICEF, partners support mass vaccination campaign in Sudan  • U.S. gov't report links more earthquakes to oil, gas operations  • Feature: South Africans say no to xenophobia  • Latvian parliament passes watered-down bill on teaching morality in schools  • 22nd Budapest Int'l Book Festival opens  
You are here: 　 Home

Roundup: Iraq secures support from Turkey against IS

Xinhua, April 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

Iraqi President Fuad Masum asked for additional military and humanitarian support from Turkey in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) militants during the official visit to Ankara.

"This virus can pass from this region to other regions," he was referring to the IS threats at a joint press briefing on Wednesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"The countries in the region have serious responsibilities," he added.

Speaking to the Turkish press after wrapping up his talks with Turkish officials, the Iraqi leader said Turkey is ready to support Iraq.

"Turkey said it is ready to do whatever required for training Iraqi troops and provide arms to Baghdad," Masum noted.

Turkey has been playing a role in helping both the Iraqi central government as well as Kurdistan regional government beat back the IS by providing logistical and arms support.

In March, Turkey had delivered two C-130 cargo planes full of arms and ammunition to Baghdad.

Turkey has also been providing training to Iraqi federal army troops and the Kurdish peshmerga forces.

The Iraqi president said that it will take at least two years to restructure Iraqi national army.

Masum kicked off his three-day visit to Turkey from Tuesday, on the eve of an anticipated offensive by Iraqi national army and peshmerga forces to recapture Mosul, the country's second largest city. Mosul has been under IS' control since June last year.

Masum stressed that Iraq does not need the help of foreign ground troops to retake Mosul, saying "if required, we may ask Turkey for help."

Turkey already announced in March that it would support Iraq in the operation to take back Mosul from the IS.

Turkish President Erdogan said the battle against the IS cannot be won simply by air raids, and ground offensive is also required.

The Iraqi president also talked about his country's economic hardships due to the recent oil price plunge.

Speaking at an event with Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, Masum said "our need for economic support has increased especially after a decline in the oil price which is our main source of revenue."

For his part, Erdogan said the low oil prices have created economic difficulties in Iraq, and Turkey planed to purchase natural gas from Iraq to help Baghdad overcome.

In addition, Turkey has sent 750 truck-loads of humanitarian supplies to Iraq and will continue to dispatch more, said Erdogan, adding that his country has been sheltering some 300,000 refugees from Iraq and administering three refugee camps in Iraqi territory as well.

As for the disputes between federal government and Kurdistan regional authorities, the Iraqi president downplayed their differences, saying that "both sides are conforming to the articles of the agreement, and there is no dispute between them." Endit