The US announced Monday that, to date, more than three million pounds, some 1.5 million kilograms, of equipment and over 60 cargo flights have been delivered to Irbil in coordination with the central government of Iraq.
"Over 15,000 hand grenades, nearly 40 million rounds of light and heavy machine gun ammo, 18,000 assault rifles and 45,000 mortar rounds" are also included, said Jen Psaki, Spokeswoman of the US State Department to reporters.
"We've also begun training the Peshmerga. So, the fact is it just isn't accurate to say we aren't supporting. We're supporting with a range of assistance. We're coordinating the efforts of the coalition, and we're doing that through the central government of Iraq," Psaki added, stressing that the US policy "remains that all arms transfers must be coordinated via the sovereign central government of Iraq. This is a legal requirement under US law." As for military equipment and response to Kurdish requests, Psaki said "we have coordination -- we have coordinated a coalition effort, including the Germans, to provide weapons. This includes heavy weapons and other equipment including mortars, T-62 tank rounds for their over 100 existing tanks, vehicles and counter- IED equipment." The US supply is part of Operation Inherent Resolve; set to militarily intervene against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.