Iraq eyes more American troops before Mosul battle

Iraq has asked Washington to send additional trainers and advisers ahead of the battle to retake second city Mosul from the Daesh group, the premier’s office said Wednesday.
Daesh seized Mosul along with swathes of other territory in June 2014, but the country’s forces have since regained significant ground from the terrorists and are reading for a drive to retake Iraq’s second city.
Iraq has requested “a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers ... to support the heroic Iraqi security forces in their impending battle to liberate Mosul,” Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi’s office said in a statement.
Abadi’s office said the US government had agreed to the request, but the most recent announcement from Washington on an increase in American troops was made in July.
A US-led coalition is carrying out airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq, and US has authorized more than 4,600 military personnel to be deployed to the country.

Source: Arab News