French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius (L) speaks during a press conference in Baghdad. (Photo: Reuters)

(VOVworld) – France is weighing supplying arms to the Kurds in northern Iraq to fight against Islamic State jihadists but France's military will not intervene in Iraq as the US has. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in Irbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region, that the Kurds should be provided with weapons to bolster their struggle against Islamic State militants who have now taken control of a third of Iraq.

France will consult with its EU partners about arms provisions. Both France and the UK have pledged support for a US-led operation to help the Iraqis. All three Western countries are providing emergency aid for the besieged civilians. The United States has also been conducting air strikes on Islamic State positions.