U.S. withdrawing 12 warplanes from Turkish air base

But militants remain in control of Mosul, their self-declared capital in Iraq and one of the country’s largest cities.

But he stressed that all US action in Iraq would be done with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s approval, respecting Iraqi sovereignty.

According to the information, Turkish Armed Forces have suffered losses and injuries. The White House statement appeared to endorse the Iraqi narrative as Baghdad says it did not invite such a force.

The Turkish soldiers’ presence in Iraq recently turned into a row between the two neighboring countries.

Turkey s Western allies had in the past accused Ankara of not doing enough to fight IS and even on occasion collaborating with the group, allegations Turkish officials vehemently denied. None of them were in life-threatening condition, the military said.

The jihadis “used auto bombs and mortars and rockets and after that launched attacks on peshmerga sites on all of these fronts”, Yawar said.

Carter’s visit, his third stop on an end-of-year Middle East tour, comes as Iraqi forces seek to push deeper into Ramadi, the capital of the western Anbar province, which has been in the grip of Islamic State fighters since May.

Ten thousand members of the Iraqi security forces surround Ramadi, but US officials have expressed frustration at how long it has taken Iraqi security forces to take back the city.

But the deployment outraged the central Iraqi government in Baghdad, which bitterly complained to Ankara and said it would take the issue to the UN Security Council.

Four Turkish troops were wounded when their base in northern Iraq was hit by Katyusha rockets on Wednesday.

In Washington, Colin Kahl, national security adviser to Biden, condemned the ISIL attack on the training camp and said the United States was working with its partners in Iraq to confirm the details.

Saudi Arabia has announced a 34-nation Islamic coalition against the group.

The call between Biden and al-Abadi came two days after the Vice President’s talk with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

“Iraqi authorities call upon Turkey to withdraw immediately from Iraqi lands”.

Because weather problems in the area were restricting some air travel, it was uncertain which Iraqi leaders Carter would see.

Carter first suggested providing attack helicopters and more combat advisers in the context that battle, saying more USA troops and firepower could help tip the fight in favor of Iraq.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter left the door open to more USA boots on the ground in Iraq during a recent press briefing. Baghdad regards the deployment as illegal. While Turkey claims the troops had been deployed at the invitation of the Iraqi government, Baghdad denies this, describing Ankara’s actions as an “incursion.” .