Obama Sends Hundreds More Troops to Baghdad

The US is adding 350 more troops to help protect the American Embassy in Baghdad and its support facilities in the Iraqi capital, raising the number of US forces in the country to over 1,000, officials say. President Obama approved the additional troops for protection of American personnel following a request by the State Department and a review and recommendation by the Department of Defense, the White House said in a statement.

The additional troops will not serve in a combat role, the White House said. Most are from the Army and some are Marines. Around 820 troops have now been assigned to augment diplomatic security in Iraq, the Pentagon says, and the US has carried out 124 airstrikes against ISIS militants, the latest taking place near Mosul Dam on Monday. The strike involved fighters and attack aircraft that damaged or destroyed 16 armed vehicles, according to Central Command. (More Baghdad stories.)