US to send 615 additional troops to Iraq

By Kasim Ileri

WASHINGTON

The U.S. is sending 615 additional troops to Iraq to help liberate Mosul from Daesh, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The additional troops would bring the total number of American soldiers on the ground in Iraq to 5,262.

“In anticipation of the Mosul fight, the United States and the government of Iraq have agreed that additional U.S. and coalition capabilities could help accelerate the campaign at this critical phase,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a statement.

The troops will provide logistical and maintenance support to the Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces -- as well as intelligence assistance -- and help train and advise troops.

Addressing the issue at a news briefing, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters that the additional troops will be mainly deployed to the Al-Assad air base in Anbar province, 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of Baghdad and Qayyara West base, 60 kilometers (44 miles) south of Mosul.

The spokesman acknowledged that the troops would be mobile to other places.

According to Davis, the number of troops in Iraq is currently 4,647 and the additional 615 troops will be deployed “in weeks”.

The spokesman said after the recapture of Mosul from Daesh, Iraqi and American authorities will discuss the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Iraq.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under Daesh control since June 2014.