WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (MNA) – US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said that his country is planning to increase the attacks at ISIL groups in Syria and Iraq, including the deployment of ground troops for combat.

"We will not hesitate about supporting our allies in carrying out timely blows at the fundamentalists or failing to accomplish such missions directly through air raids or other direct actions in the field,” said Carter during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

The Pentagon chief said to feel frustrated by the failed US effort in training what he called "moderate rebels", referring to the armed gangs that are trying to topple Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.

He added that Washington will work with some leaders of the factions in that Middle East country that are fighting against the ISIL, give them weapons and training, as well as the air support they need.

The new plan also includes increasing the assistance to the Government of Iraq in its efforts to improve the combat readiness of its Armed Forces, but he acknowledged that the authorities in Baghdad will have to take steps to guarantee the progress of their units in fighting the enemy.

However, Carter failed to made clear under which circumstances the US troops could operate in the battle field, though he reflected the acknowledgement that the US military command advanced little in its mission to defeat the fundamentalists, according to the Associated Press.

 

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