Pentagon Explains Reports of Excess Personnel in Iraq as ‘Natural Overlap’

The number of US military personnel in Iraq exceeds the established cap largely because of an overlap caused by their rotation, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Steve Warren told reporters on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, US media reported that the number of US troops fighting Daesh in Iraq is close to 4,450, while the official numbers claim 3,650 military personnel serve there.

"People can’t just leave, have nobody there [in Iraq] and the next day they come in," Warren said in a briefing. "It’s a rotation, there is naturally going to be an overlap there."

Warren said he would not dispute the media reports and admitted that the cap for US forces assigned to serve in Iraq is only around 3,870.

The spokesman noted that at present, the military personnel is undergoing a transfer of authority.

"They are ready to rotate, go back home," Warren explained. "There is always going to be some of this double-slottings, which account for a significant amount of this overreach."

Warren added there are always military personnel "cycling through" Iraq, such as the team of the Inspector General, but also others.

On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said he considers deploying additional forces to Iraq to fight the Islamic State terror group, which is also known as Daesh, and is outlawed in the United States, Russia and in other countries.