US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that the United States will send 217 additional troops to Iraq to serve as advisers and trainers.

    They will also offer aviation support and provide force protection, Carter said, during an unannounced visit to Iraq. The US will additionally provide Army Apache attack helicopters -- something the US had been pushing for months in the face of resistance from the Iraqi government. 

    The new forces, which will raise the US troop presence in Iraq to more than 4,000, will be allowed to advise at the battalion and brigade level, rather than be restricted to the division level, Carter said, which means they are closer to the front lines and at greater risk.

    Carter is holding a series of meetings in Iraq, including with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and top US military commanders. Carter is also hosting a question-and-answer session with troops stationed in the country, the (CNN) reported. This is Carter's third visit to Iraq. 

    An official traveling with Carter said the US is going to bring in more resources into the country and is going to accept more risk in the coming days in Iraq. The official framed the fight for Iraq as centered around efforts to recapture the northern city of Mosul from ISIS forces, Iraq's second-largest.

    The comments seemed to complement those made by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford, the country's top military officer, who said in March that he believes the US will soon increase the number of American troops in Iraq.

Source: QNA