ahlam1399
09-29-2016, 05:06 AM
WASHINGTON: The United States is prepared to send more troops to Iraq to advise and train for an upcoming offensive on the Islamic State group stronghold of Mosul, a US official said.
IS seized Mosul along with other areas in June 2014, but the country´s forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq´s second city.
"In consultation with the government of Iraq, the United States is prepared to provide additional US military personnel to train and advise the Iraqis as the planning for the Mosul campaign intensifies," said the US official, who spoke on condition of a**nymity.
A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has authorized the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country. Most are in advisory or training roles, but some American forces have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.
Earlier, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi´s ****** indicated that it has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the **rthern city. The United Nations warned that a military operations there could cause up to a million people to be displaced.
Last week, US President Barack Obama said US-backed Iraqi troops could be in a position "fairly rapidly" to liberate Mosul, though he warned that "this is going to be hard, this is going to be challenging."
Separately, the US military concluded on Tuesday that a rocket fired earlier this month at an Iraqi air base housing hundreds of US troops contained ** mustard gas, as initially suspected. In neighbouring Syria, hundreds of US forces are deployed alongside Kurdish and rebel fighters to battle IS, which is also facing air raids by the international coalition. The Pentagon has expressed concern that IS fighters could use mustard gas to defend Mosul.
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IS seized Mosul along with other areas in June 2014, but the country´s forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq´s second city.
"In consultation with the government of Iraq, the United States is prepared to provide additional US military personnel to train and advise the Iraqis as the planning for the Mosul campaign intensifies," said the US official, who spoke on condition of a**nymity.
A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has authorized the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country. Most are in advisory or training roles, but some American forces have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.
Earlier, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi´s ****** indicated that it has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the **rthern city. The United Nations warned that a military operations there could cause up to a million people to be displaced.
Last week, US President Barack Obama said US-backed Iraqi troops could be in a position "fairly rapidly" to liberate Mosul, though he warned that "this is going to be hard, this is going to be challenging."
Separately, the US military concluded on Tuesday that a rocket fired earlier this month at an Iraqi air base housing hundreds of US troops contained ** mustard gas, as initially suspected. In neighbouring Syria, hundreds of US forces are deployed alongside Kurdish and rebel fighters to battle IS, which is also facing air raids by the international coalition. The Pentagon has expressed concern that IS fighters could use mustard gas to defend Mosul.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/World-TheNewsInternational/~4/OvshfGyug9w
أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/World-TheNewsInternational/~3/OvshfGyug9w/153530-US-prepared-to-send-more-troops-for-Mosul-offensive)