Islamic State conflict: Iraq PM to seek weapons on US visit
Iraq's prime minister is leaving for Washington for talks with US President Barrack Obama, whom he is expected to ask for substantial weapons deliveries, the BBC reported.
Haider al-Abadi will also seek to agree a strategy for dislodging Islamic State (IS) militants from the large parts of the country which they still control.
Last week, Mr Abadi launched a campaign to drive them out of Iraq's biggest province, Anbar, west of Baghdad.
IS responded with a renewed onslaught on the provincial capital, Ramadi.
The US-led coalition carried out air strikes on IS positions on Sunday in an attempt to halt the assault, inflicting heavy damage on large military units, officials said.
Tanks and other armoured vehicles were also hit near the northern IS-held city of Mosul and Iraq's main oil refinery at Baiji, which is also under attack.