US President Barack Obama was briefed by his top national security advisers on Tuesday on the situation in Iraq and the strategy to counter the so-called ’Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) takfiri group.

US President Barack Obama was briefed by his top national security advisers on Tuesday on the situation in Iraq and the strategy to counter the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group, the White House National Security Council said in a statement.

Obama "reaffirmed the strong U.S. support" for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in his effort to lead operations to retake the city of Ramadi, the White House said after the meeting.

The meeting involved 25 advisers including Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and General Lloyd Austin of U.S. Central Command.

Obama's security advisers meet regularly to review the fight against ISIL, and determine "how best to refine and carry out the strategy," said Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.

"There is no formal strategy review," Baskey said.

The White House said Obama welcomed a decision on Tuesday by the Iraqi Council of Ministers to accelerate the training and equipping of local tribes in coordination with authorities in Anbar province and expand recruitment into the Iraqi army.

"In coordination with Anbar authorities, Prime Minister Abadi and the government of Iraq, we are looking at how best to support local ground forces in Anbar" as Iraq moves to retake Ramadi, Baskey said.

ISIL occupied swathes of northern Iraq in June 2014, and declared the 'caliphate' over the seized territories, displacing residents and attacking security forces and civilians.