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U.S. sends 275 military personnel to Iraq to support its Embassy

Posted at 5:02 PM, Jun 16, 2014
and last updated 2014-06-16 19:02:04-04

(CNN) — The United States is sending about 275 military personnel to Iraq to support its Embassy in Baghdad, the White House said in a notification to Congress. They will help the State Department in connection with efforts to temporarily relocate some embassy staffers to consulates in Basra and Erbil as well as to a support group in Jordan. The embassy remains open and a “substantial majority” of its presence in Iraq will remain in place, the White House said.

While the United States and Iran are open to discussions over the threat posed in Iraq by Islamic extremists, these engagements will not include military coordination or strategy about Iraq’s future, a senior State Department official told CNN on Monday.

The-CNN-Wire
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