Carter also said the U.S.is prepared to step up its efforts to assist vetted Syrian forces willing to take on ISIS, but he did not specify how.
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One potential job is helping Iraqi troops use highly technical bridging capabilities to get across the river into Mosul. “That’s its strategic role, and that’s its strategic importance”. There, U.S. troops set up a fire base for artillery to support advancing Iraqi units.
“The point of seizing [the Qayyarah] airfield is to be able to establish a logistics and air hub in the immediate vicinity of Mosul”, reported Carter.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups such as the IS on the USA that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.
Iraq’s second city Mosul has been under Islamic State group control since June 2014, when the jihadists overran large parts of Iraq, carrying out atrocities including summary execution-style killings, mass kidnappings and rape.
Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the commander of the US-led operations against Daesh, said that the “preponderance” of the 560 additional troops will be based at Qayyarah, and would start being deployed “relatively soon”.
Speaking to Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, a medical official confirmed the casualty figures.
“You will now embark on the next major steps of our campaign-to collapse [ISIS] control over Mosul here in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria”, Carter told USA troops during an unannounced visit to Baghdad. They previously were limited to advising at headquarters and division levels, further away.
Carter said the general and his staff would bring “that substantial experience and tradecraft that we learned by hard experience in Iraq and Afghanistan”.
Mosul is considered crucial. It has used the city as a main headquarters since.
Earlier in the day, Carter arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit.
“With the retaking of Qayara West airfield, the Iraqi security forces have once again demonstrated a serious will to fight”, Carter said.
The airbase is vital for the Iraqi security forces in the coming battles that aimed to free Mosul and other areas. A number of those 10 included retaking some of those cities. On July 3, IS carried out the devastating bombing targeting shoppers in Baghdad that killed 292, many of whom were burned alive, sparking widespread anger among Iraqis, some of whom have accused the government of not doing enough to protect them. As many as 186 were killed.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which wounded at least 37 people.
The U.S. decision to add troops follows Iraqi forces’ retaking of the Qayara air base, about 50 miles south of Mosul. Iraqi troops, aided by Kurdish fighters from northern Iraq and US -led airstrikes, have slowly but steadily been tightening a noose around Mosul.
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Until now, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has been training Iraqis in Jordan.
