Islamic State: Coalition 'pledges more troops' for Iraq

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State (IS) militants has pledged to send an additional 1,500 troops to Iraq, the BBC reported, citing a top US commander.

Lt Gen James Terry, who is co-ordinating efforts against IS, said the soldiers would be in addition to 3,100 US soldiers already promised.

He did not say which coalition nations would provide the extra troops or what role they would play.

The US has agreed to send troops to Iraq in an advisory role.

Coalition members discussed the Islamic State issue and made the troop pledge at a security conference in the region last week, Gen Terry said.

Gen Terry also told the conference that air strikes against IS were taking a toll on the militants' campaign in Iraq and Syria.

The US state department says nearly 60 countries belong to the coalition, although most play no direct role in the air strikes.

It is hoped the deployment of additional soldiers will increase the effectiveness of the Iraqi army, much of which proved ineffective under an IS onslaught last summer.