For the first time, Iraqi troops
trained by U.S. advisers are being deployed to retake the city of
Ramadi, the Pentagon has said.
News that about 3,000 U.S.-trained Iraqi Army soldiers were added to
the fight came as Defense Secretary Ash Carter made his first visit to
Iraq since taking office in February.
Iraqi forces, backed by U.S.-led coalition air strikes, are currently
encircling Ramadi to choke off Islamic State supplies and trap their
fighters ahead of a push to seize the city, said Pentagon spokesman Army
Colonel Steve Warren.
He said one of the newly trained units advanced about four miles toward Ramadi within the last 24 hours.
About 500 Sunni Arab tribal fighters also have recently joined the advancing force, Warren said.
The Iraqi government intends to exclude all Shi'ite militias from the
operation, even those under control of the Iraqi government. Ramadi is a
predominantly Sunni city.
http://www.rferl.org/content/iraq-us-trained-troops-joint-fight-retake-ramadi-first-time/27149783.htmll
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