The United States is prepared to send more troops to Iraq to advise and train for an upcoming offensive on the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, a U.S. official said. “The coalition will continue to increase the pressure on ISIL in Mosul and wherever it seeks refuge in Iraq,” Carter said in a statement. ISIL is an acronym for the Islamic State. Jeff Davis, a Defense Department spokesman, told reporters at the Pentagon that the increase of 615 service members will bring the official number of troops in Iraq to 5,262. The actual number, including troops on shorter-term assignments who are not counted in that official number, could be well above 6,000.

Source: Washington Post September 28, 2016 19:52 UTC