Cameron sends more troops to Iraq to join counter-Isis efforts
MORE BRITISH troops will be sent to Iraq in the coming weeks, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.
Speaking at a meeting of the leaders of the G7 nations in Germany, Cameron said yesterday that he had authorised 125 additional UK personnel to join the efforts against Isis, also known as the Islamic State, in Iraq. The extra troops are expected to work with servicemen already on the ground providing training support to the Iraqi security forces.
They will take the total number of British military trainers in Iraq to 275, Downing Street said, and the overall number of British troops working to counter Isis across the region to around 900.
“We’re already the second largest contributor in terms of airstrikes in Iraq, and support for the Syrian opposition,” Cameron told reporters in Germany. “But I’m announcing today that we’re increasing our training effort in Iraq. It’s a particular request the Abadi government has made, it’s a particular thing we’ve been working with the Americans on.”
At a conference in Paris last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi pleaded for more international support in the fight against Isis, whose militants have made significant territorial gains both in Iraq and Syria.
Cameron was expected to discuss Isis further in a one-on-one meeting with US President Barack Obama last night. Downing Street said that Cameron would also talk with Obama about efforts to train moderate Syrian opposition forces to counter Isis.