Iraq army not ready to face IS – UK’s Hammond

Iraqi forces are not ready to dislodge Islamic State fighters from the country and the world must do more to starve the extremists of money and members, Britain’s foreign minister said Thursday ahead of an anti-IS coalition meeting.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says Iraqi forces are in a “state of disarray” and “it will be months yet before they are ready to start significant combat operations” against the extremists.

Hammond and US Secretary of State John Kerry are meeting officials from 22 countries in London for talks on defeating the militant group, which controls a swath of Iraq and Syria.

A US-led coalition has carried out more than 1,000 airstrikes since August against IS group positions and has sent hundreds of troops to train Iraqi soldiers, but has failed to deliver a decisive blow against the Islamic extremists.

— AP