Boris Johnson takes the fight to Islamic State

The Mayor of London poses with a Kalashnikov during a secret trade mission to northern Iraq

By Holly Watt and Hollywatt 22 January 2015 • 5:14pm

Boris Johnson shooting in Iraq Credit: Photo: I-IMAGES

Boris Johnson has flown to Iraq’s Kurdistan region to visit British troops leading the fight against Islamic State. The suit-wearing Mayor of London posed with an AK47 during the secret trip to the capital of the region, Erbil.

Mr Johnson was visiting British troops, who are hepling to train the Peshmerga, the Kurdish fighters battling the jihadi group.

Islamic State controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq and the US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes since August.

Mr Johnson’s decision to visit the warzone is likely to be seen as an attempt to burnish his leadership credentials ahead of the May election.

Mr Johnson told the Evening Standard he was hoping to strengthen economic ties between Kurdistan and London.

“I'm also going to support some of our guys out there who are trying to train the Peshmerga fighters, so we will see first hand some of the good Britain is doing in the area,” he said.

It has emerged that the Mayor of London has recently settled a US tax bill he had previously described as "absolutely outrageous".

Mr Johnson, who has dual nationality, faced a demand from the US authorities to pay capital gains tax on profit from the sale of his house in North London.

^{The countries fighting the Islamic State - in 60 seconds}

^{Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 60 seconds}