Germany resumes training Kurds, won't 'confirm or deny' MILAN use
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – German soldiers based in the Kurdistan Region to assist Peshmerga and Iraqi forces in the anti-ISIS fight have resumed training, as the German Defense Ministry will neither "confirm or deny" that the Kurds used a German-supplied anti-tank missile against Iraqi forces.
Berlin announced that its federal military forces, the Bundeswehr, had "again resumed training in the framework of instruction support of north Iraq."
Germany paused training for the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga on October 13, "so no wrong signal would be sent." MPs in Berlin said on Wednesday there had been a "short-term extension of the [deployment] mandate."
Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen spoke to reporters as Kurdish Peshmerga and Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi forces clashed in oil-rich disputed areas last week.
"We are come from the opinion as an international partner that we want intensive conversation between the Kurds and the Iraqi central government. It is important to de-escalate ... for both sides to look to have a vision of unity," said Leyen on Wednesday.
Leyen noted the Kurdistan Region's sheltering of "millions" of displaced Iraqis over the past three years because of the war with ISIS.
"We have not forgotten what happened in 2014, when [ISIS] did a genocide against the Yezidis and stood only kilometers away from Baghdad," she said.
German support for the Kurds was prompted in 2014 when Leyen pleaded with lawmakers for support citing violence against Yezidis in the disputed Shingal region that has since been labeled genocide by the United Nations.
Germany has been one of the main backers of the Peshmerga since the start of the ISIS war, providing the effective armor-piercing MILAN missiles, rifles, training, and air reconnaissance.
The Bundeswehr declined to confirm or deny that the MILAN was used by Peshmerga against Iraqi forces during clashes on Friday, saying that Germany provided the anti-tank missile strictly to defend against ISIS, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported on Sunday.
Iraq's Joint Operations Command had claimed the Peshmerga used the weapons system against its forces in Pirde, while a statement from the Kurdish forces "dismissed the accusation."
Berlin announced that its federal military forces, the Bundeswehr, had "again resumed training in the framework of instruction support of north Iraq."
Germany paused training for the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga on October 13, "so no wrong signal would be sent." MPs in Berlin said on Wednesday there had been a "short-term extension of the [deployment] mandate."
Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen spoke to reporters as Kurdish Peshmerga and Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi forces clashed in oil-rich disputed areas last week.
"We are come from the opinion as an international partner that we want intensive conversation between the Kurds and the Iraqi central government. It is important to de-escalate ... for both sides to look to have a vision of unity," said Leyen on Wednesday.
Leyen noted the Kurdistan Region's sheltering of "millions" of displaced Iraqis over the past three years because of the war with ISIS.
"We have not forgotten what happened in 2014, when [ISIS] did a genocide against the Yezidis and stood only kilometers away from Baghdad," she said.
German support for the Kurds was prompted in 2014 when Leyen pleaded with lawmakers for support citing violence against Yezidis in the disputed Shingal region that has since been labeled genocide by the United Nations.
Germany has been one of the main backers of the Peshmerga since the start of the ISIS war, providing the effective armor-piercing MILAN missiles, rifles, training, and air reconnaissance.
The Bundeswehr declined to confirm or deny that the MILAN was used by Peshmerga against Iraqi forces during clashes on Friday, saying that Germany provided the anti-tank missile strictly to defend against ISIS, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported on Sunday.
Iraq's Joint Operations Command had claimed the Peshmerga used the weapons system against its forces in Pirde, while a statement from the Kurdish forces "dismissed the accusation."