The Obama administration is considering providing new training to elite Iraqi forces in Jordan as U.S. officials seek ways to help the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki repel an al Qaeda campaign.

The Obama administration is considering providing new training to elite Iraqi forces in Jordan as U.S. officials seek ways to help the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki repel an al Qaeda campaign near its western border, Reuters news agency reported Friday.

Earlier this week, U.S. officials said the United States was in discussions with Iraq about training its elite forces in a third country, which would allow Washington to provide a modest measure of new support against militants in the absence of a troop deal allowing U.S. soldiers to operate within Iraq.

"There is discussion about this, and Jordan is included in the discussions," a U.S. defense official said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that a privately run special operations training center near Amman was one of the sites being considered.

Jordan, grappling with the mounting impact of the grinding conflict in neighboring Syria, is one of the United States' closest allies in the Middle East.

It was not immediately clear who exactly would provide the new training to Iraqi forces, but it might include U.S. special forces soldiers or contractors.

The United States is already sending Hellfire missiles, surveillance aircraft and other gear that Maliki has requested.

Because U.S. soldiers cannot conduct military activities in Iraq without a Status of Forces Agreement, providing new support to Iraqi forces outside of Iraq is one way the Obama administration can try to help Iraq beat back what appears to be a growing militant threat.

The troop agreement the United States negotiated with Maliki's government in 2008 expired at the end of 2011 as U.S. forces withdrew.