Iraq Needs International Aid, Not Presence of Foreign Military, Says Masum

Iraq needs qualified international aid, not the presence of foreign military to combat the Islamic State (IS) militants, Alsumaria TV reported, citing Iraqi President FuadMasum.

“Iraq does not require the presence of international anti-terrorist forces, Iraq needs international assistance: experience, knowledge, weapons,” the Iraqi leader said.

However, Masum stressed that Iraq “is aware that it should not simply expel extremists from its territory, but to completely destroy them, so as not to export terrorism to neighboring countries in the region.”

The Islamic State, ISIS, is terrorist and extremist group formerly known as the in Iraq and Syria, separated from al-Qaeda and started fighting in Syria in 2012. In 2014, they launched an offensive on Iraq and captured vast territories there, proclaiming an Islamic caliphate in June 2014. The organization has since become infamous for its brutality and commitment to radical Islam.

Thousands of “infidels” – the Shiites, the Christians, the Yazidis – have already been killed by the IS militants, many more were forced to flee the areas captured by extremists. Woemn and children have become captives and are kept in concentration camps of the terrorists. Iraqi authorities have appealed to the international community for help in the fight against the IS. The UN characterized ethnic and religious cleansing carried out by the IS as crimes against humanity.

RIA Novosti

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