Turkey to Train Iraqi Soldiers, Sunni Militia
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iStock/Thinkstock(ISTANBUL) — Turkey is stepping in to help Iraqi soldiers.
Turkish defense officials say they will begin to train both the Iraqi Army and Sunni militia in Iraq. Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz says that Turkey will also advise and equip the Iraqi forces and Sunni fighters.
Turkish troops are already in northern Iraq training the Iraq Kurdish fighters known as the Peshmerga.
The defense minister’s announcement follows news last month that the U.S. and Turkey would train moderate Syrian rebels.
The two countries agreed to train and equip hundreds of rebel fighters this year, then hundreds more in the following years.
While Turkey wants the rebels to fight extremist groups, they also want them to take on Syrian regime forces.
However, U.S. officials say the main focus right now is defeating ISIS.
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