More than 400 additional U.S. servicemembers were deployed to Iraq in the last week, bringing the number of U.S. troops officially stationed in Iraq to 4,460 in total. Their orders were not made public, but it is assumed they will be working with local forces on their plans to invade Mosul. Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, commander of the US-led coalition, described the upcoming offensive as a “siege.” Gen. Maan Al Saedi, a commander in Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces, the offensive could begin as early as October.
Hussein Yazdanpana, the commander of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (P.A.K.), revealed that the Iranian Kurdish militia received military training from U.S. and European instructors. They were able to obtain the training, because they operate under the authority of the Iraqi Kurdish forces. However, the faction also stages attacks in Iran, and it is unclear how the Iranian government will react to the news. Maj. Josh T. Jacques, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command said he was unaware of the P.A.K. receiving the training.
A spokesman for the Shi’ite militias fighting in Khalidiya Island said they were still conducting cleansing operations of denied rumors of their retreat.
At least 45 were killed and 16 were wounded:
Militants executed 12 people in Tal Afar.
In Baghdad, a bomb at a market in Sabaa al-Bour left one dead and eight wounded. Two people were killed and five were wounded in a bombing in Furat.
At the Khazar frontline, mortars killed two Peshmerga and wounded three more.
Eleven militants were killed in Baker.
Peshmerga forces killed 10 militants in Sinjar.
Seven militants were killed in strikes near Haditha and Hit.
