The troops captured the Qayara airfield on Saturday which they intend to use in their final offensive against ISIS in its Mosul stronghold.
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“With these additional USA forces I’m describing today, we’ll bring unique capability to the campaign and provide critical support to the Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight”, Carter told a gathering of USA troops in Baghdad. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media.
A small group of USA forces surveyed the airfield shortly after it was seized by the Iraqis, but US military officials said it was unclear how much time it would take before cargo planes and other aircraft could land there. The Iraqis have struggled to move troops, resources and equipment – tasks that will become even harder as their forces move closer to Mosul, which is 250 miles from their major supply hubs in Baghdad.
During a meeting later at the prime minister’s office, Carter expressed condolences to the Iraqi people on behalf of the United States of America for the recent terror attacks in Iraq and said it strengthened his determination to fight ISIS.
Carter said the new troops will be deployed in coming days and weeks.
The planned force levels allow NATO allies to remain in regional hubs around Afghanistan, with Germany in the north, Italy in the west, Turkey in the capital of Kabul and the United States in the east and south. There, U.S. troops set up a fire base for artillery to support advancing Iraqi units. Marine Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin was killed there in March in an IS rocket attack. They previously had been limited to advising at headquarters and division levels, further from the battle.
During his visit, he also met Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi and the top USA military commander in the region Lt General Sean MacFarland.
U.S. defence officials say the campaign’s first “10 plays” have been successfully completed in the US-led counter-IS campaign in Iraq and Syria.
The extremist group captured Mosul in the summer of 2014. But with the Taliban gaining ground and it becoming clear that Afghan forces still needed USA and coalition support, he urged his fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organisation leaders in Warsaw to expand their support for the war against the Taliban.
In addition to Qayara, Iraqi government troops recently have retaken Ramadi, Fallujah and a number of towns along the route to Mosul.
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Baghdad is on high alert for attacks after a blast in the central Karada district on July 3 killed more than 300 people. As many as 186 were killed.
