US confirms sending 600 troops to Iraq

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter confirmed Wednesday plans that his country will soon send about 600 additional troops to Iraq to assist Iraqi forces in the battle to retake Mosul from the so-called Islamic State (IS).
"The troops, in close coordination with the government of Iraq, will provide specific capabilities, including logistics and maintenance support; train, advise, and assist teams for Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga," Carter said in a statement.
The US and Iraq have agreed on a plan to send 600 additional US troops to Iraq to assist Iraqi forces in the battle to retake Mosul from IS, a US defense official told CNN earlier.
The plan has been under discussion for weeks, the official said, adding that President Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi have now agreed on the details.
The Iraqi government generally must approve and agree to any significant change in US troop levels. (pickup previous) ak.ma