ERBIL, Kurdistan Region— International efforts to arm Kurdish forces in Iraq have intensified, with heavy artillery and gunships waiting in Kuwait to be delivered to the Kurdistan Region, says Jabar Yawar, spokesman of the Peshmerga Ministry who accompanied a Kurdish military delegation in Rome to push forward Italy’s efforts to arm the Peshmerga.

Speaking to Rudaw TV from Rome on Thursday, Yawar said the Italian defense ministry had approved the Kurdish request for military equipment and training but needed the Italian Senate’s final vote on the matter.

“I need to say that coalition airstrikes, military equipment, military trainers and support have increased notably,” Yawar told Rudaw, responding to a question of whether international efforts to arm Kurds have increased since the Paris attacks.

Here is a translated version of the TV interview.

Shifa Gardi: You had a meeting with the Italian Defense Minister recently. What did you ask and how did she respond?

Jabar Yawar: We had a grand meeting with both the minister and Chief of the Italian Amy and other military officials. We discussed the ISIS war and the Peshmarga conditions in the frontlines. And also the refugee crisis in Kurdistan. Obviously we had in advance informed the Italian defense ministry of our needs in terms of military equipment and ammunition.

Q: Did they have any knowledge about what the Peshmerga forces lack and what they might need?

A: Indeed they did. They have a representative, which works closely with the coalition forces (against the ISIS) and with the Kurdish team. They are part of the operation room that has been set up by the coalition in which also Kurdistan is a part. They have also frequent meetings with the ministry of Peshmarga in Erbil and of course they have visited frontlines and know about the conditions. And also the Italian Defense Minister had earlier visited Kurdistan and met with Kurdish officials. But we wanted to formally ask for support in our visit.

Q: What did you ask for in your formal request?

A: Well, we need heavy weapons and also ammunition for the weapons that we earlier received from Italy. And of course we need medical support, which we have asked for including mobile hospitals. We have asked for anti-chemical equipment for the forces which could protect them in case of chemical attacks. Especially since the militants have used mustard gas in their attacks. The Italian minister’s response to our list of requests was very positive. But they need to ask their government to ask the Senate to vote on their decision. This is why we also will meet the defense committee in the Senate. We will certainly ask them to vote for the petition and tell them why it is important to help our Peshmarga forces. We also ask for a number of other things including demining equipment and even uniforms for our peshmarga forces.

Q: If approved will they send the equipment directly to Erbil or through the central government in Baghdad?

A: We have not talked about the way this equipment could be delivered to us. According to the procedures, the equipment that coalition or international forces send us will first end up in Baghdad where a group from the Iraqi defense ministry inspect it and then without any interference send it to us in Erbil. We have repeatedly asked them to send the material directly to us, but if they choose through Baghdad then maybe they should send their own personnel with the cargo so that the Peshmarga receives what is intended for us.

Q: How come you decided to visit the Vatican too?

A: We met the Vatican Foreign Minister and it was indeed very important to do so. We discussed humanitarian issues with the Vatican not military issues. As you certainly know, Kurdistan has embraced some 1,8 million refuges and displaced people and the Vatican has an enormous role in helping these people and urging other aid groups to do so. Especially helping the Christian refugees.

Q: What did the Vatican promise?

A: They said they would do their best to help the refugees in the region. They have some influence in the international community, which we hope they will use to push many European countries to help the refugees, which is more than what Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) can handle. Kurdistan has a population of 5.5 million and has hosted 1,8 million refugees who will need electricity, clean water, school for their children and food and that has burdened KRG budget which we now hope they will see and help us.

Q: If we go back to military aid. What have you so far received from Italy and France and in your view after the Paris attacks, how will they approach the question of arming anti-ISIS groups like Peshmarga?

A: Well Italy was the second nation after Germany to send both personnel and military equipment to us including heavy anti-tank artillery which our forces were in desperate need of. But it’s not just these two countries. We have been in meeting with most EU countries, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Sweden and the EU parliament in Brussels. They know already that by helping us not only the ISIS is diminished and finally defeated, but also the wave of refugees will decrease to their borders in Europe. I need to say, though, that coalition airstrikes, military equipment, military trainers have increased notably recently.

Q: But some critics say that the coalition has not delivered any heavy military equipment to the Kurds. Is that true?

A: The US has given its approval to deliver heavy equipment to us. There are now long-range artillery and gunships in Kuwait waiting to be delivered to the Kurdistan region in the coming month. The US has promised to also arm and reorganize two whole Kurdish brigades.

Rudaw