SLOVAKIA considers providing aid to the Iraqi security forces fighting against the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group.
“The Slovak Republic analyses the possibilities of military and technical aid for Iraqi security forces for which they asked,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Martina Balleková said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
The ministry, however, excluded possibility of sending soldiers to the conflict area.
Slovakia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák said in September that Slovakia can become part of the international coalition against ISIS. According to him, the country could offer training to Iraqi armed forces as well as Kurds fighting with ISIS in Iraq.
“We are aware of our responsibility since it is a threat that pertains also to us, so we will not close our eyes before it,” Lajčák said at the time, as quoted by TASR.
Meanwhile, the media outlets reported that ISIS militants can use Slovak and Czech ammunition. They referred to the report of the non-governmental organisation Conflict Armament Research which examines the origin of weapons and ammunition in conflict regions. According to the report, of about 1,700 cartridges from the weapons used by militants that were collected this summer, 18 were from the Czech Republic and two from Slovakia. The cartridges sent to Iraq during the era of Czechoslovakia were described as Czech, the Sme daily wrote.
Source: TASR, Sme
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
