Iraqi security forces claim Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was injured during an airstrike while meeting with other militants¹ in Iraq's western province of Anbar. 

 

Pentagon officials say they have no information to verify the claim. 

 

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama says the deployment² of 15-hundred more US troops to Iraq marks a "new phase" against the Islamic State. 

 

"Phase one was getting an Iraqi government that was inclusive and credible³. And we now have done that. And so now, what we've done is rather than just try to halt ISIL's momentum⁴, we're now in a position to start going on some offence." 

 

The additional 15-hundred troops nearly doubles the current US contingent⁵. 

 

They're being sent to Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government. 

 

As with previous US troop deployments, the US soldiers are meant to only assist in the training of the Iraqi military, and will not be involved in combat operations. 

 

A US-led coalition⁶ has been helping⁷ Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces with air strikes since August. Iraqi forces have reportedly liberated⁸ Iraq's biggest oil refinery⁹ from the control of the Islamic State.

点击收听单词发音