The UK has “significantly more to do” to help Kurdish fighters defeat Isil in Iraq, according to a Labour MP visiting the frontline of the conflict in the Middle East.
John Woodcock today posted a video from Iraq in which he claimed Kurdish forces fighting Isil are “desperately short of kit”.
In a video made just four kilometres from the frontline, the Barrow and Furness MP spoke of the Kurdish army –the Peshmerga – “fighting a really brave fight” against the terrorist organisation.
The UK currently takes part in aerial bombing campaigns against Isil in Iraq, but does not continue the offensive into Syria.
In the video, Mr Woodcock, who was visiting the region as part of the UK Parliament’s all-party group for Kurdistan, said: “They make the point to us that they are getting essential air support from the UK, from the RAF and training and advice from the UK armed forces but they are desperately short of kit.
“They know that if they fail in this fight and Daesh continue then ultimately it will be foreign fighters going back to the UK to take what they’ve learnt here, the extremism the military tactics back to countries such as the UK.
“It’s a huge privilege to see this but the UK has significantly more to do and it’s on our interests to do it and that is the stark message they’ve asked us to take back to the UK.”
In March this year, the Kurdish Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa appealed for more military equipment to help the regions forces defeat Isil.
“We need tanks, armoured cars and heavy artillery and guns to defend ourselves and work with the Iraqi army to dislodge Isis,” he said.
The Kurds have also complained of money not being released to them by the Iraqi government in Baghdad, leading to a delay in paying soldiers.
Isil has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, which left 132 people dead and a nearly 100 more injured.