US secretary of state John Kerry called for a “core coalition” to be formed to fight Islamic State (IS) jihadists in Iraq, on the second day of the NATO summit in Wales.
"We need to attack them in ways that prevent them from taking over territory, to bolster the Iraqi security forces and others in the region who are prepared to take them on,” Kerry said after a meeting of foreign ministers from United States, Poland, Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Italy, and Denmark on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
The US secretary of state emphasised that there were no plans to send in troops from the coalition countries to Iraq, however.
"Obviously I think that's a red line for everybody here: no boots on the ground,” Kerry said.
Poland was part of George W. Bush's 'coalition of willing' in the US-led 2003 war and occupation in Iraq.
United States bomber aircraft have helped to slow advances by IS militants in Iraq, who had taken ground in the west and north of the country. (pg) source: Reuters/PAP
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Ewa Malcher
