White House condemns reported attacks on Iraq base used by Turkish troops

Turkey said this week it had withdrawn an unspecified contingent from the base, but the Iraqi government responded by demanding a complete pullout.

The attack was ISIS’s “offensive approach to protecting Mosul” and targeted Kurdish fighting positions less than 20 miles from the city, Odom said.

A United States deployment of Apache attack helicopters to provide close air support in the Ramadi fight is dependent on a formal request from Dr Abadi. But the peshmerga’s effectiveness was again proved when its forces repelled the attack while US troops enabled, Carter said.

US Vice President Joe Biden has spoken to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi regarding Turkey’s troop deployments.

Details of the plan have not been disclosed, and US officials haven’t said when they may deploy to Iraq.

Abadi told Carter he was optimistic that Iraq was “on the verge of breaking the back of Daesh”.

According to the Kurdistan Regional Security Council, the Peshmerga troops were able to prevent advances by ISIS fighters in at least five separate locations including the base where Turkish military are being billeted.

Mosul has been under the control of IS since a year ago.

“Four Turkish troops were wounded in a mortar attack against the military training camp near Mosul”, the Turkish official told AFP, emphasising that the attack originated from Isil-held territory.

More recently, the official said, Turkey sent about 1,000 additional troops to the site in what was described as a “force protection” move.

Turkey, which said the reinforcements had been sent to address “intensifying security risks”, agreed to “rearrange” its forces this week.

Carter’s visit had been scheduled for some time, but President Obama said on Monday that Carter would head to the Middle East “to work with our coalition partners on securing more military contributions to this fight” against ISIS. The White House said both leaders were in agreement about the need to cooperate in fighting the Islamic State group and pursuing a resolution to Syria’s civil war.

The U.S. expects to deliver equipment to Peshmerga fighters who will assist in the retaking of Mosul, arranging for shipment of the equivalent of two brigades worth of arms and ammunition to be used for the “encirclement” of Mosul, Mr. Carter said.

Backed by US airstrikes, the Kurdish guerrillas have dislodged the Sunni militants from key towns and road junctions in recent months, and Carter praised their combat skills.