Obama authorizes 1,500 additional U.S. troops for deployment to Iraq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday authorized the U.S. military to deploy up to 1,500 additional troops to help train and advise Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State militants, the White House said.

The White House will ask Congress for $5.6 billion for the operations in Iraq and Syria, which includes $1.6 billion (1 billion pounds) for the new "Iraq Train and Equip Fund," the White House Office of Management and Budget said.