Fight against IS far from over: German defence minister

Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen pledged continued support to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in the fight against Islamic State group.

Berlin: Germany's defence minister says despite recent gains against the Islamic State group in Iraq, the fight is far from over.

Germany has been supplying Kurdish Peshmerga fighters with weapons and other equipment to fight the extremist group, and has 140 Bundeswehr troops stationed in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

Speaking in Irbil today after meeting with Kurdish President Massoud Barzani, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen pledged continued support, the dpa news agency reported. She said, "the terror is far from defeated; we're all going to need a lot of patience."

Barzani thanked Germany for the military support, saying it had helped change the situation at the front.