The military’s budget proposal for 2019 also contains $850 million for train-and-equip activities in Iraq to counter the Islamic State (IS), Anadolu agency reported.

“The training, equipment and operations support in this request will consolidate the gains achieved against [IS] and prevent its reemergence,” according to the proposal submitted to Congress.

The Pentagon wants $1.4 billion for fiscal year 2019, an amount that is slightly less than its 2018 budget at $1.8 billion.

The U.S.-led coalition, officially known as the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), said last month it was creating a 30,000-strong border security force in northern Syria along Turkey’s border.

The first budget proposal prepared by the Pentagon for fiscal year 2018 required $606 billion, the budget for fiscal year 2019 increased $80 billion to $686 billion.

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