Officials said that the U.S. is sending another 300 troops to Iraq to increase security at the U.S. Embassy and elsewhere in the Baghdad area to protect the U.S. citizens and property.
The Pentagon said that this raises the total U.S. troop presence in Iraq to approximately 750.
Meanwhile, the State Department announced that it was temporarily moving an unspecified ”small number” of embassy staff in Baghdad to the U.S. consulates in the northern city of Irbil and the southern city of Basra, Huffington Post reported.
This is reportedly in addition to some embassy staff moved out of Baghdad earlier this month.
Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the Baghdad embassy would be fully equipped to carry out its mission.
Media reports said that the White House announced that President Barack Obama had directed 200 troops to be sent to reinforce security at the embassy, its support facilities and Baghdad International Airport.
The Pentagon said that the 200 troops arrived on Sunday and Monday.
The Pentagon”s press secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a written statement that the presence of these additional forces would help enable the embassy to continue its critical diplomatic mission and work with Iraq on challenges they are facing while confronting Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. (ANI)