World Bulletin/News Desk

Germany is prepared to send arms to Kurdish security forces in northern Iraq fighting ISIL militants, Germany's foreign and defence ministers said on Wednesday.

Military equipment such as helmets and security vests would be sent immediately, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, adding that Berlin had agreed also to send weapons.

"We can imagine providing further equipment, including weapons. Great Britain, Italy and France have decided to send such goods and we are prepared to do so too," he told reporters.

"All these goods serve the purpose of helping put Kurdish security forces in a position where they can withstand ISIS attacks," he added.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi paid a one-day visit to Iraq on Wednesday and his government also said it was ready to consider requests for supplies of personal weapons and ammunition for self-defence.

Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said Italy had earmarked light automatic weapons and ammunition used by the Italian armed forces, as well as arms made in the former Soviet Union and seized at sea during the 1990s Balkan wars, to be sent to Iraq.

Out-of-date

According Germany's 'Bild' newspaper, the military equipment that has been sent to the Iraqi Kurds are out of date and no longer serve their purpose.

The metal in bullet-proof vests to be sent to the Kurds is said to be old and not strong enough to provide protection.

Only 680 of the planned 1,000 night-vision goggles, 400 of which would be ready in three weeks, will be sent after the German Federal army found that the goggles available were not enough.

35 of 58 'Unimog' military trucks to be sent are unusable. In fact repairs are so expensive that the German army are forbidden to use them.

The only equipment without problems are the metal detectors, helmets and radio devices, Bild reported.