(VOVworld) – US President Barack Obama announced Wednesday the deployment of 450 additional troops to Iraq, deepening US involvement in the fight against the Islamic State (IS).

The US announced the deployment of 450 additional troops to Iraq (photo:couriermail.com.au)

The new troops will bring the number of American service members in Iraq to around 3,600. The soldiers are expected to be focused on assisting Iraqi forces and tribal fighters at a base in Anbar province prepare for an offensive to reclaim the western city, which fell to IS militants last month. The deployment also helps stem the flow of foreign fighters to and from Iraq and Syria.