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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| UK's role in Iraq to be boosted | UK's role in Iraq to be boosted |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The UK is to boost its military role in Iraq to help local forces in their efforts to halt the advance of Islamic State extremists. | The UK is to boost its military role in Iraq to help local forces in their efforts to halt the advance of Islamic State extremists. |
| Military trainers will be sent within weeks to work at a US headquarters that has been established in the capital. | Military trainers will be sent within weeks to work at a US headquarters that has been established in the capital. |
| Large swathes of Syria and Iraq are currently under the control of IS extremists. | Large swathes of Syria and Iraq are currently under the control of IS extremists. |
| Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the limited mission would not lead to the deployment of combat troops. | Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the limited mission would not lead to the deployment of combat troops. |
| British forces were pulled out of Iraq in 2011, eight years after the mission that brought down Saddam Hussein. | British forces were pulled out of Iraq in 2011, eight years after the mission that brought down Saddam Hussein. |
| A dozen British trainers had already been deployed last month to work with Kurdish forces in the northern city of Erbil. | A dozen British trainers had already been deployed last month to work with Kurdish forces in the northern city of Erbil. |
| 'Experience in Afghanistan' | 'Experience in Afghanistan' |
| The UK launched its first air strikes against IS targets in Iraq on 30 September - four days after Parliament approved military action. | The UK launched its first air strikes against IS targets in Iraq on 30 September - four days after Parliament approved military action. |
| Pressure to provide more support to new Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi to reclaim territory in the north and west has been growing. | Pressure to provide more support to new Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi to reclaim territory in the north and west has been growing. |
| The US has agreed to send around 500 soldiers to Iraq and elsewhere in the region, with the aim of retraining the Iraqi army. | The US has agreed to send around 500 soldiers to Iraq and elsewhere in the region, with the aim of retraining the Iraqi army. |
| Speaking during a visit to Baghdad, Mr Fallon told the BBC that Iraqi forces were making some progress in halting the advance of Islamic state, but they urgently needed more help from Britain. | Speaking during a visit to Baghdad, Mr Fallon told the BBC that Iraqi forces were making some progress in halting the advance of Islamic state, but they urgently needed more help from Britain. |
| He said: "We are going to be stepping up our training effort. I can't give you precise numbers. I'm here to evaluate training needs and there are areas of expertise, particularly in counter-IED [improvised explosive devices] and roadside car bombs, where we can help from our experience in Afghanistan. | He said: "We are going to be stepping up our training effort. I can't give you precise numbers. I'm here to evaluate training needs and there are areas of expertise, particularly in counter-IED [improvised explosive devices] and roadside car bombs, where we can help from our experience in Afghanistan. |
| BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said the government had "drawn a red line in the sand" in terms of a combat mission. | BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said the government had "drawn a red line in the sand" in terms of a combat mission. |
| Speculating on how many military trainers will be deployed to the country, our correspondent added: "It's not going to be thousands, it's not going to be as much as the Americans are putting in. | Speculating on how many military trainers will be deployed to the country, our correspondent added: "It's not going to be thousands, it's not going to be as much as the Americans are putting in. |
| "We're talking about small numbers, we don't know yet if it's going to be in the hundreds or fewer, but certainly not large numbers." | |
| Labour's Andy Burnham backed the Ministry of Defence's decision, saying: "It is an advisory role and that's right at this stage." | Labour's Andy Burnham backed the Ministry of Defence's decision, saying: "It is an advisory role and that's right at this stage." |
| The UK is also preparing to increase the number of drones it is using in the region to provide further intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assistance to Iraqi forces. | The UK is also preparing to increase the number of drones it is using in the region to provide further intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assistance to Iraqi forces. |