Bosnia donates 550 tons of weapons to Iraq

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina, March 17 (UPI) -- Bosnia-Herzegovina has donated more than 550 tons of surplus arms and ammunition to Iraq to help fight against the Islamic State.

Defense Minister Zekerijah Osmic said the donation was fulfilled after a request by the United States. The donation is part of 16,000 tons of weapons and ammunition left over from the 1992-95 inter-ethnic Bosnian War. More than 100,000 people died in the conflict.

The aging weapons held in warehouses are becoming a security risk to nearby residents. Bosnian authorities planned to either donate or destroy the weapons by 2020.

European Union members on Monday created a pre-accession pact that unblocked Bosnia's path to becoming a EU member after pledging to implement political and other reforms. Bosnia's attempts to join the union have been on hold since 2008.