Biden reiterates US support for Mosul operation in conversation with Barzani

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US Vice President Joe Biden reiterated American support for the looming operation to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic State (ISIS) in a phone conversation with Kurdish President Masoud Barzani.

 

A statement from Barzani’s office said Biden also discussed US plans for post-ISIS Mosul and economic aid to recover the city, which has been under the militants' control since June 2014.

 

The US vice president expressed US support to assist the new wave of refugees that are expected to leave Mosul during the offensive, according to the statement.

 

US President Barack Obama ordered in late September the deployment of 600 new troops to Iraq ahead of the Mosul offensive. The troops are adding to more than 5,200 US military servicemen who are currently in Iraq assisting Iraqi and Kurdish forces in the ISIS war.

 

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in September that his government had officially asked for more US military advisors and trainers.

 

The new deployment will be based at the Qayyara airbase, some 60 km from Mosul, according to US defense officials.

 

"The victories that have been achieved in the war against terror are the outcome of joint work of the Peshmerga, Iraqi forces and the international coalition. Together they will work for an end to the ISIS," Biden told Barzani, according to the statement.