Off the wire
• Quotable quotes on S. China Sea arbitration: tribunal's arbitration is unlawful  • U.S. diplomat reminds Philippines of alliance a day before arbitration ruling  • Xinhua world news summary at 1600 GMT July 11  • Albanian construction sector performance improves in Q1  • Microsoft decides to cut 1,350 jobs in Finland  • China's second largest coal firm sees profit rise in H1  • Two killed, 8 injured in inter-clan fighting in Somali capital  • Venezuelan chef wins Basque Culinary World Prize  • Foreign Ministry expecting fruitful Mongolia trip by Premier Li  • Urgent: UN chief condemns killing of Chinese peacekeepers in S. Sudan fighting  
You are here: 　 Home

U.S. announces additional 560 U.S. troops to Iraq

Xinhua, July 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Pentagon announced on Monday it would deploy an additional 560 troops to Iraq to fight the extremist group the Islamic State (IS).

"The additional troops will provide a range of support for Iraqi Security Forces, including infrastructure and logistical capabilities at the airfield near Qayyarah," said a Pentagon statement, adding that announcement was made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter during his visit to Iraq.

"As the campaign shifts toward Mosul, more than 250 miles from the Iraqi capital, the airfield will become a vital springboard for the ISF offensive into Mosul," said the statement.

The latest increase of U.S. troops in Iraq brings the total U.S. troops there to 4,647. Enditem