International   

More U.S. troops for Iraq

WASHINGTON: U.S. military commanders are moving about 1,500 troops from a reserve force in Kuwait into the volatile Anbar province in western Iraq to help local authorities establish order.

The move, announced on Tuesday by military commanders, comes as Iraqi officials struggle to set up a government amid new spikes in violence.

The 1st Armoured Division has had a brigade stationed in Kuwait for several months serving as a reserve force to be called upon to augment the troops in Iraq. One of the brigade's battalions was sent to the Baghdad area in March to bolster security until a new national government had been seated.

The two battalions of 2nd Brigade, 1st Armoured Division, were sent after Gen. George W. Casey Jr., top U.S. commander in Iraq, requested relocating the reserve force after coordination with Iraq officials and Pentagon leaders.

A brigade includes at least 3,500 troops. — AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Quake toll rises to 5,700; hope for survivors fades
U.S. threat forced change in China's economic strategy
U.S. Marines under probe for cover-up
Blair changed speech under U.S. "pressure''
Florida man's surprising ancestor
Bio-tech incubator
Gusmao takes charge
More U.S. troops for Iraq
Nepal reserves 33 p.c. posts for women
Global pressure mounts on LTTEs
India blames terrorist attacks in J&K on infiltration
Extensive consensus on defence cooperation with China
Arundhati Roy nominated for Spanish prize
India steps up aid to Indonesia
India to help Saudi Arabia set up centres of excellence
Destination Singapore, for shopping bargain

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu