The United States reportedly is preparing to resume a program to train elite Iraqi soldiers in Jordan to bolster U.S. support for the Iraqi government's battle against Islamist militants.
The Pentagon says a small number of U.S. special forces are expected to take part in the training of Iraqi counterterrorism troops beginning in early June.
The program is said to be similar to an initial counterterrorism training course that U.S. forces presented in Jordan earlier in 2014, which involved a total of 50 soldiers from the United States, Iraq, and Jordan.
It underscores concerns in Washington about extremist activity across the region that have been fueled by the war in Syria, as well as violence that has grown in Iraq to levels not seen since 2007 at the height of the sectarian conflict.
The Pentagon says a small number of U.S. special forces are expected to take part in the training of Iraqi counterterrorism troops beginning in early June.
The program is said to be similar to an initial counterterrorism training course that U.S. forces presented in Jordan earlier in 2014, which involved a total of 50 soldiers from the United States, Iraq, and Jordan.
It underscores concerns in Washington about extremist activity across the region that have been fueled by the war in Syria, as well as violence that has grown in Iraq to levels not seen since 2007 at the height of the sectarian conflict.