Pentagon chief hails Iraqi victories against terrorism

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US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Tuesday reaffirmed US military support for Iraq in the war against terrorism and praised recent victories achieved by Iraqi forces, as they pressed an assault on Tal Afar, ISIL's last major bastion in the country's north.

Mattis, who made an unannounced visit to Baghdad, told Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that the United States would continue to support Iraq's unity and reject any action aimed at "dividing and destabilizing" the country.

The Pentagon chief and the Iraqi prime ministry exchanged views on military cooperation between the two countries in the field of training and arming, as well as war on terrorism, according to a statement by al-Abadi's media office.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (C) meets with US Secretary of Defense James Mattis (L4) in Baghdad, Iraq, August 22, 2017. /Photo via Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office

Before the visit, Mattis told reporters in Jordanian capital Amman that he wanted to keep the spotlight on eradicating ISIL jihadists.

Iraqi security forces opened the offensive to take back Tal Afar on Sunday, their latest objective in the war following the recapture of Mosul after a nine-month campaign that left much of the city in ruins.

ISIL's days are "certainly numbered," Mattis said, but he added that the war is "not going to be over anytime soon."

Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) with Iraqi army gather on the outskirts of Tal Afar, Iraq, August 20, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Mattis not decided on number of additional US troops for Afghanistan

Responding to questions about US President Donald Trump's new strategy on Afghanistan, Mattis said in Baghdad he was waiting for a plan from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford before making a decision on how many additional troops to send to Afghanistan.

"When he brings that to me, I will determine how many more we need to send in. It may or may not the number that is bandied about," he said.

US officials have said Trump has given Mattis the authority to send about 4,000 additional troops to add to the roughly 8,400 already in Afghanistan.