US to send more troops to Iraq
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US Secretary of Defence Ash Carter has announced the country will send 560 extra military personnel to Iraq to assist local forces in the fight against ISIL.
The troops will focus on retaking the militant stronghold of Mosul, he said during a visit to Baghdad.
“This contingent will help the Iraqis establish logistical springboard for their offensive in Mosul… At every step in this campaign, we have generated and seized additional opportunities to hasten ISIL’s lasting defeat. With this additional US forces I’m describing today, we’ll bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight.”
Engineers and logistics specialists will be among the new deployment, bringing the number of US personnel in the country to around 4,650. They will be stationed at Qayara air base, some 65 kilometres south of Mosul.