U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, who arrived in Baghdad earlier Monday, announced that the U.S. is sending 560 additional troops to Iraq as part of a battle to liberate the City of Mosul from the so-called Islamic State (IS).
The troops will be stationed at the key recently recaptured Qarayyah airfield, which is about 25 miles south of Mosul. It will be a key staging area for the upcoming U.S. and Iraqi effort to retake the city of Mosul from the terror group.
The additional U.S. troops will assist the Iraqis troops on the base with logistics and give advise, Carter told the press.
During his visit, Carter met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi where they disucssed U.S. support to Iraq in the latter’s war against terrorism.
The recapture of Qarayyah, one of the biggest air bases in Iraq, is seen as a breakthrough in the mission to liberate Mosul, and comes just weeks after Iraq declared it had regained full control of Falluja, IS’ main stronghold in the country, as the militant group loses more ground.
U.S. President Barack Obama approved the deployment, which brings the new troop cap will to 4,647.
kuna.net.kw
