美军将向伊拉克增派600多名士兵

The U.S. and Iraq have agreed on a plan that will send about 600 additional American troops to Iraq to help retake Mosul from Islamic State, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters in New Mexico, Carter said the increase is part of the coalition\'s "accelerating campaign" to "isolate and collapse" Islamic State\'s control over Mosul and "expand gains by Iraqi Security Forces elsewhere in Iraq."

A U.S. defense official put the total number at 615, bringing the number of American troops authorized to fight IS in Iraq at 5,262.

Carter said the additional U.S. military personnel will train, advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga. They also will be used to improve logistics and to intensify intelligence operations with a “special emphasis” on uncovering IS plans to launch terror attacks against Baghdad and the West.

Carter also echoed other top U.S. defense officials who have suggested the battle to retake Mosul could get under way in a matter of weeks.

卡特在新墨西哥州对记者说，增派美军是联军“加速攻势”的一部分，以“孤立和粉碎”伊斯兰国对摩苏尔的控制，并“扩大伊拉克保安部队在其他地区的战果。”

一名美国国防官员说，增派的美军人数是615人，从而将美国授权在伊拉克与伊斯兰国作战的总兵力增至5262人。

卡特说，增派的美军人员将训练、建议并协助伊拉克保安部队和库尔德自由战士。他们还将被用来改善后勤工作并加强情报行动，“特别着重于”破获伊斯兰国对巴格达和西方发动恐怖袭击的阴谋。

卡特也表达了与其他美国高层国防官员相同的看法。他们提出，重新夺回摩苏尔的战斗几个星期之内就有可能展开。