Turkish soldiers deployed in Mosul to train Iraqi troops—reports

Turkish soldiers check tanks stationed at the train station after their arrival from western Turkey, in Gaziantep, Turkey, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. DHA agency via AP

ISTANBUL, Turkey—More than 100 Turkish soldiers have been deployed to an area near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, which is under Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) control, to replace a unit providing training to Iraqi troops, reports said Friday.

READ: Turkey deploys forces into Iraq to hunt down PKK rebels

Around 150 soldiers, backed by 20 to 25 tanks, were sent by road to the Bashiqa town in Mosul, Anatolia news said, citing anonymous sources.

They were replacing Turkish troops which were sent to the region two-and-a-half years ago in order to train Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces to, Anatolia added.

Long criticized by its Western allies for not doing enough to stem the rise of the extremist group, Turkey joined the US-led coalition against ISIS in late July.

In June 2014, jihadists kidnapped 49 staff from Turkey’s consulate in Mosul after seizing control of the city.

They were all released unharmed in September 2014 after top-secret negotiations led by Turkey’s intelligence agency that reportedly resulted in the release of jihadist prisoners in Turkey in exchange for the embassy staff.