BERLIN
Germany announced on Monday that it would not join possible military airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, or ISIL.
“Germany will not take part in any military action,” Sawsan Chebli, Foreign Ministry deputy spokeswoman said during a press conference, underlining that Berlin would focus on political and humanitarian efforts in its contribution to the international efforts to fight ISIL.
“We are taking a role in other areas. We are making an important contribution with our support to Iraqi Kurds,” she added.
The German government decided in August to supply military goods, arms and ammunition, to Iraqi Kurds but ruled out sending troops to the region to fight against ISIL.
The first shipment of German aid, which will be sent to the region later this month, consists of arms for more than 4,000 Peshmerga troops. In total Berlin will send 4,000 G3 rifles, one million rounds of ammunition, 4,000 P1-type pistols with 500,000 bullets, 20 Milan anti-tank systems, 300 anti-tank missiles, 100 bazookas, 5,000 grenades, and 50 military vehicles.
On Friday, the German Defense Ministry announced that it would also send 40 soldiers to train Kurdish forces. The German government has sent 50 million euros ($65.6 million) in humanitarian aid to the region so far.
ISIL has driven an estimated 1.2 million Iraqis from their homes in a conflict that is engulfing the area. In order to help peshmerga and Iraqi forces to fight againt ISIL militants, the U.S. has conducted dozens of airstrikes since August 7.
An international conference on Iraq, attended by 29 countries, kicked off in Paris on Monday in order to discuss the means to combatting ISIL.
Two days before the conference, ISIL posted a video on the internet featuring the beheading of a British hostage, weeks after videos showing the beheading of two American journalists.
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