20 March 2016•Update: 22 March 2016
WASHINGTON
Pentagon has assigned a detachment of U.S. marines on the ground in Iraq to support international coalition efforts against Daesh, it was announced Sunday.
The group of Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will provide additional support to Iraqi security forces and the U.S.-led coalition, who are already on the ground to defeat Daesh, according to a statement of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve.
This assignment was carried out after consultation with the Iraqi government, the statement adds. But how this new additional group will support efforts against Daesh on the ground has not been clarified in the statement.
The 26th Marine Unit is currently deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations - the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The announcement came one day after a U.S. marine was killed and several others were hurt in a rocket attack against Daesh on an Iraqi base.
