NATO to boost Iraq troops from 500 to 4000

NATO countries will boost the number of personnel they deploy to a training mission in Iraq from 500 to 4000, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

The idea is to expand training activities for the Iraqi security forces and also to roll them out outside of Baghdad, the military alliance's chief said.

He said the aim was to prevent the resurgence of the ISIS terrorist group (outlawed in Russia).

"Our mission is at the request of the Iraqi government," Stoltenberg told reporters after defence ministers' talks. "It is carried out it with full respect for Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity."