Defense Secretary: Special Ops Force to Iraq to Fight ISIS

Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Tuesday the U.S. is deploying a "specialized expeditionary targeting force" to help Iraqi and Kurdish forces fight Islamic State militants, NBC News reported. 

Carter told the House Armed Services Committee the "special operators will over time be able to conduct raids, free hostages, gather intelligence and capture" ISIS leaders.

Senior defense officials told by NBC News, the operations will follow the October special ops raid alongside Kurdish fighters in Northern Iraq that freed 70 prisoners being held by ISIS. One US Special Operations commando was killed in that raid.

Carter called the Paris massacre an "assault on the civilization we defend," and vowed that ISIS would be defeated. 

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