US to send more troops to Iraq ahead of Mosul offensive
The United States is stepping up its military campaign against Islamic State by sending hundreds more troops to assist Iraqi forces in an expected push on the city of Mosul, the militants' largest stronghold, later this year.
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US Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the announcement on July 11 during a visit to Baghdad, where he met U.S. commanders, as well as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi.
Most of the 560 additional troops will work out of Qayara air base, which Iraqi forces recaptured from Islamic State militants and plan to use as a staging ground for an offensive to retake Mosul, Iraq's second biggest city.
Government forces said on July 9 they had recovered the air base, about 60 km (40 miles) from the northern city, with air support from the U.S.-led military coalition.
"With these additional U.S. forces I'm describing today, we'll bring unique capability to the campaign and provide critical support to the Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight," Carter told a gathering of U.S. troops in Baghdad.
The new troops were "ready to come" and it would be a matter of "days and weeks, not months," he said.
Abadi has pledged to retake Mosul by the end of the year.
