BUDAPEST: Hungary has sent ammunition to Iraq to help the war-torn country’s armed forces in their fight against “terrorism”, the EU country’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement late on Thursday.

The ammunition includes several million cartridges, thousand of mines and several thousand armour-piercing shells.

Csaba Hende, Hungary’s minister of defence, said on Friday that the ammunition was ready to be transported but stopped short of saying when it would leave Hungary.

The ministry said in the statement that the advance of the Islamic State in Iraq threatens the existence of Christian communities and other minorities in the country.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council in a letter to discuss the fate of the Iraqi Christian minority at the next EU summit at the end of August.

EU ministers agreed last week to back arming of overwhelmed Iraqi Kurdish fighters in the face of an onslaught by Islamic State militants.

Other EU countries, like Germany, France, the UK and Italy have also decided to supply weapons to Iraqis to fight the Islamic State.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.