Turkey May Lend Logistic And Supply Support To Mosul Operation"

Turkish government sources have said Turkey would not send land troops to assist an operation to retake Mosul from jihadists, but may provide logistic support, after exiled governor of Mosul Atheel al-Nujaifi claimed Ankara will take part in the offensive.

Speaking to Iraqi Kurdish online news website Rudaw on March 1, al-Nujaifi claimed Turkey has agreed to send weapons and supplies to recapture Mosul, which has been under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) since June.

A Turkish source told Hürriyet that Turkey will not send land troops to the operation that a U.S. official said could start as early as April.

The source said, however, sending logistic and ammunition support is possible.

The governor's brother, Iraqi Deputy President Osama al-Nujaifi, held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in Ankara last week.

A military source said "it is a very delicate and technical issue militarily," with many diplomatic and army sources underlining that Turkey has already been providing comprehensive military training to Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighters. - Istanbul