Latvia Considering Sending Troops to Iraq to Help Fight Against ISIL
The Latvian Defense Ministry is considering a possibility of sending its soldiers to Iraq to help fight against the ISIS militant group, the ministry’s spokesman said on Monday.
Last week, another Baltic state, Estonia, announced plans to join the fight against the ISIS militants in 2016.
Prior to that, the country’s government approved a bill, adopting an open mandate which allows up to 50 Estonian servicemen may be directed to address conflicts in any part of the world.
“In any case, politicians are to decide on Latvia’s participation in this operation,” Kaspars Galkins told reporters.
Latvia’s combat role is out of the question, but the Latvian experts might help local units fight the terrorists, the spokesman added.
On September 30, Russia began an air campaign against the ISIS terrorists in Syria on a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Latvia, a member of the European Union, has been a member of NATO since 2004. The Latvian servicemen took part in operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.
/257
