BUDAPEST - Hungary said Thursday that as a member of the European Union and NATO, it will send ammunitions to Iraq, free of charge, to assist the fight against terrorism there.

Citing the growing threat of the Islamic State terrorists, Hungary reaffirmed its support for the Iraqi government and the Kurdish Autonomous Region in the interest of the country's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to a statement from the country's defense ministry.

The ammunitions include millions of cartridges and thousands of mines and armor-piercing shells, it added.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently urged President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy to take action to protect the Christians in Iraq.