Pentagon announced that it assigned a detachment of US marines on the ground in Iraq to support international coalition efforts against the so-called ’Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) takfiri group.

Pentagon announced that it assigned a detachment of US marines on the ground in Iraq to support international coalition efforts against the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group.

The group of Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will provide additional support to Iraqi security forces and the US-led coalition, who are already on the ground to defeat ISIL, according to a statement of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve.

This assignment was carried out after consultation with the Iraqi government, the statement added, without clarifying how this new additional group will support efforts against ISIL on the ground.

The 26th Marine Unit is currently deployed to maintain regional security in the US 5th Fleet area of operations - the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

The announcement came one day after a US marine was killed and several others were hurt in a rocket attack against ISIL on an Iraqi base.