Carter also talked with MacFarland and the Iraqi leaders about the new USA plan to deploy a special commando force to Iraq.
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Syrian rebel leaders die in air strike
Hezbollah today revealed the deal is much broader and included other Islamist factions, including al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front. Jaysh al-Islam, with thousands of trained fighters, is the biggest and seen as the most organised rebel group.
“Four Turkish troops were wounded in a mortar attack against the military training camp near Mosul”, the Turkish official told AFP, emphasising that the attack originated from IS-held territory.
49ers – Browns Postgame Grades
The young quarterback showcased his laser passes that some many raved about when he was being evaluated during the draft. CBS Sports hands out grades for every Week 14 game and the Browns, behind Manziel and Isaiah Crowell, get quality marks.
Carter said he would also be speaking to USA commanders during his visit to Baghdad to get a reading on the battlefield and “their thinking about ways that we can continue to accelerate the campaign to defeat ISIL”.
Wildfire evacuations in Southern California
Voluntary evacuations had begun in Solimar Beach and with campers at Emma Wood State Park, according to reports. The area has been under a high wind warning as gusts in the area reached 55 miles per hour overnight.
The Iraqi government says they are not welcome and must withdraw.
The attack came amid a dispute between Turkey and Iraq over Ankara’s recent move to send reinforcements for its trainers at the camp.
Army Col. Steve Warren, spokesman for the anti-ISIS mission called Operation Inherent Resolve, reiterated Carter’s comments that the Iraqi government would not ask for help as it had to balance military options with the hard political environment in the country, according to the AP report.
“The reported withdrawal of Turkish military personnel and equipment out of camp Bashiqa that should be followed by additional steps and measures, opens the door towards moving past this incident”, United Nations envoy to Iraq Jan Kubis said in a statement on Tuesday. In Iraq, U.S. officials have expressed frustration at how long it has taken Iraqi security forces to take back Ramadi. Iraqi forces have been preparing to try to take the city back, encircling it. But progress has been slow.
“It appears that it’s very much aligned with something we’ve been urging for quite some time, which is greater involvement in the campaign to combat ISIL by Sunni Arab countries”, Carter said, using an acronym for Islamic State.
Any U.S. military support must be consistent with Iraqi requests and their style of fighting, MacFarland said. But, he said, that doesn’t mean they won’t make a difference “sometime in the future”. It would be created to better capitalize on intelligence in order to target, capture and kill Islamic State leaders.
US Vice President Joe Biden has spoken to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi regarding Turkey’s troop deployments.
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The United States has said it is willing to deploy advisers and attack helicopters to help Iraq retake Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, so spoke on condition of anonymity.
