U.S. military to boost training, advising mission with Iraqi forces

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) speaks as Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel listens before the start of a Cabinet Meeting in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, November 7, 2014. REUTERS/Larry Downing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military will boost its effort to help Iraqi forces confront Islamic State militants in the coming weeks, deploying 1,500 more troops to the country and establishing sites to train a dozen Iraqi military brigades, the Pentagon said on Friday.

All U.S. forces will be in non-combat roles, the Pentagon said in a statement. In addition to establishing the training sites, they will create two new centres outside Baghdad and Arbil where U.S. troops will advise Iraqi units at the brigade level.