The Pentagon is confirming, an additional 1,500 U.S. forces will be deployed to Iraq to aid in training of Iraqi military and Kurdish peshmerga following a request from the Iraqi government.
That would essentially double the number of U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq at a time when there are some indications, the efforts against the Islamic State jihadis is working.
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed the deployment.
IN: "The commander...
OUT: ...of Iraq."
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Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said the American soldiers are in non-combat, training only roles.
IN: "Over the coming...
OUT: ...against ISIL."
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The agreement between Washington and Baghdad includes training for Sunni tribes of Anbar province.
These are the groups that were excluded from Iraq's previous government under Nouri al-Maliki.
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed the U.S. forces would be training the tribes as well as regular Iraqi Army soldiers.
IN: "Through the...
OUT: ...Sunni tribes."
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