France to supply arms to Iraqi Kurds ‘in the coming hours’August 13, 2014 - 15:56 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - France will supply arms to Iraq's Kurds "in the coming hours", French President Francois Hollande has announced, according to BBC News. France has received approval from authorities in Baghdad for the decision, French media said. Kurdish forces have been fighting militants from the Islamic State (IS) group. The conflict has displaced thousands of people. The U.S. has also reportedly begun supplying weapons to the Kurdish forces, known as the Peshmerga. A statement from Hollande's office said the move was "in response to the urgent need expressed by the regional authorities in Kurdistan". Earlier the U.S. announced it had sent 130 more military advisers to the Kurdish region. The marines and special operations forces will assess the humanitarian situation and will not be engaged in combat, a U.S. defense official said. The US has been carrying out air strikes against IS fighters in northern Iraq. The political leader of Iraq's Kurds, Massoud Barzani, earlier appealed for international military aid to help defeat the Islamist militants. Related links: Related issues: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |