U.S. will deploy additional 615 troops to Iraq to help forces fighting Daesh (Islamic State terrorists) liberate Mosul, Pentagon said Wednesday.
The additional troops would bring the number of American troops on the ground in Iraq to 5,262.
According to Defense Secretary Ash Carter in a statement, U.S. in anticipation of the Mosul fight agreed to deploy additional troops to help accelerate coalition capabilities in neutralizing Daesh terrorists in the second largest city in Iraq that has been under Daesh control since June 2014.
Carter’s statement indicated that the additional troops will provide logistical and maintenance support to the Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces; as well as intelligence assistance and help train and advice troops.
Also 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 in weeks.
Navy Capt. Davis acknowledged that the troops would also be mobile to other places.
