SecDef Carter Says More Troops Headed for Iraq - effort to liberate Mosul

On 28 September 2016,US Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a statement on additional support for the anti-ISIL Operation Inherent Resolve:
In anticipation of the Mosul fight,the United States and the government of Iraq have agreed that additional US and coalition capabilities could help accelerate the campaign at this critical phase.At the request of myself and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dunford,and with the support and approval of Prime Minister Abadi,President Obama has authorised approximately 600 additional US troops to further enable Iraqi forces.The troops,in close coordination with the government of Iraq,will provide specific capabilities including logistics and maintenance support;train,advise and assist teams for ISF and Kurdish Peshmerga for the upcoming Mosul operation;and expanded intelligence resources to help disrupt ISIL'S terrorist network in Iraq and beyond.
The US will continue to stay in close contact with our Iraqi partners as efforts to retake Mosul progress,including the role that the international coalition can continue to play in helping the Iraqi government defeat ISIL.*
For example,On 23 September,US Army Lieutenant General Stephen J. Townsend,commander of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve,visited Task Force Strike,101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Qayyarah West Airfield,Iraq.Soldiers with the Army's 320th Field Artillery Regiment have been supporting Iraqi Security Forces by executing fire missions against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant militants with such weapons as the M777 Howitzer.The HiMARS artillery rocket system has also been used by US troops against ISIL in both Iraq and Syria.