Up to 275 U.S. troops are deploying to Iraq to provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Consistent with the War Powers Resolution, President Barack Obama sent a report notifying the Congress regarding the deployment, the White House Press Secretary said in a statement on Monday.
The personnel will provide assistance to the State Department in connection with the temporary relocation of some staff from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to the U.S. Consulates General in Basra and Erbil and to the Iraq Support Unit in Amman.
The White House made it clear that the U.S. military personnel are entering the country with the consent of the Iraqi Government.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad remains open, and a substantial majority of the U.S. Embassy presence in Iraq will remain in place and the embassy will be fully equipped to carry out its national security mission, the statement added.
In a separate statement, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said, "Over the weekend, a number of teams totaling about 170 U.S. personnel began arriving in Baghdad from within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility."
The Defense Department has also moved about 100 personnel into the region to provide airfield management, security and logistics support, if required, he added.
"All of these forces are trained to integrate with existing U.S. Embassy security teams or operate as a standalone force as directed," Kirby said.
Kirby said the safety of people serving in diplomatic missions abroad is among the Defense Department's highest priorities.
"The presence of these additional forces will help enable the State Department to continue their critical diplomatic mission and work with Iraqis on challenges they are facing," he added.
The move to send additional U.S. troops to Iraq comes amid reports that Sunni insurgents continue to advance toward Baghdad.
Reflecting the seriousness of the situation, Secretary of State John Kerry suggested that the U.S. would be willing to work with long-time rival Iran to address the escalating violence.
The move comes amid the insurgents' claims of mass executions of Iraqi soldiers, which State Dept. Spokesperson Jen Psaki described as "horrifying and a true depiction of the bloodlust that these terrorists represent."
On Friday, President Barack Obama stated that he will not send U.S. troops back into combat in Iraq but said his national security team is preparing a range of other options.
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