NATO agrees to expand Iraq training mission, Stoltenberg says

NATO defence ministers agreed on Wednesday to expand the Western alliance's training mission in Iraq, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, responding to a demand by U.S. President Donald Trump for NATO to do more in the Middle East.

NATO will take over some of the training activities carried out by the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, Stoltenberg said, meaning the decision does not necessarily require an increase in Western troops in Iraq.

"Today, allied ministers ... agreed in principle to enhance NATO's training mission," Stoltenberg told a news conference. "In the first instance, this will consist of taking on some of the global coalition's current training activities."