Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Monday the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State rebels expects to provide Iraqi forces with additional types of support during the battle to reclaim the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Carter told a Pentagon news briefing that because of a coalition decision last year to accelerate the campaign against Islamic State, "momentum is now on our side and not on ISIL's," using an acronym for the militant group.

Carter and Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Iraqi forces would lead the coming battle for Mosul, with U.S. forces offering the same type of support they provided in the battle for Ramadi last year.

But Carter said U.S. forces also expected to provide additional types of support that were offered for the Ramadi fight but were not needed, such as logistics and bridging.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and David Alexander; Editing by Susan Heavey)

REUTERS