France to supply weapons to Kurds in their fight against IS

France will be joining the war effort of the United States in Iraq and will supply arms to the Kurdish fighters, announced the French President Francois Hollande, reports the BBC.

The weapon aid has the approval of Baghdad. They are meant for the Kurdish forces who have been untiringly fighting the Islamic State or ISIS insurgents.

An official statement from the French President's office said the move was "in response to the urgent need expressed by the regional authorities in Kurdistan".

In an interview to France 2 television, Sunday from Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius had said,"One way or another, they must receive, in a sure way, equipment that will allow them to defend themselves and to counterattack."

France has already sent a second shipment of 20 tons of humanitarian aid, including medicine, tents and water treatment equipment to Erbil,  according to the Foreign Ministry in Paris, reports the New York Post.

Recent media reports indicate the United States is sending an additional 130 military advisors. This brings the total number of military advisors in Iraq to nearly a 1000.

 The British government has agreed to send a "small number" of Chinook helicopters. They will be used in ferrying of equipment from other countries to the Kurdish fighters.

Prime Minister David Cameron is clear that the British role will be clearly humanitarian and aid in the relief efforts to help thousands of Yazidis trapped on Mount Sinjar, reports the New York Post.

The Islamic State insurgents have displaced thousands and the Kurdish forces have been fighting their bid to overrun north Iraq.