UK sends more troops to train Iraqi's fighting ISIL

UK sends more troops to train Iraqi's fighting ISIL

The UK will step up its commitment in the war against ISIL in Iraq by sending more UK troops to help plan two huge military offensives.

Britain said Saturday it was sending more troops to Iraq to bolster its mission training up the armed forces taking on ISIL.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said a further 30 troops would be deployed to provide training in logistics and bridge-building, as well as specialist medical staff.

The move would take the total number of British personnel on training missions inside Iraq to 300.

The additional troops are expected to be deployed to training camps at Bismayah and Taji outside Baghdad.

Fallon said "solid progress" has been made in the fight against ISIL.

"Now is the time to step up our training of Iraqi forces, as they prepare for operations in key cities such as Fallujah and Mosul," he said.

"Along with the trebling of UK air strikes, this underlines the crucial role our armed forces are playing in the fight against Daesh."

British jets have been striking ISIL targets in Iraq and Syria.

On Wednesday, British Tornado and Typhoon aircraft conducted four attacks in northern and western Iraq.

The day after they carried out five attacks in the same area, destroying a weapons cache and several ISIL fighting positions, the ministry of defence said.