Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is due to meet Monday with President Barack Obama for the latest high-level talks on the battle against Islamic State militants.

The talks on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Germany come less than a week after Abadi appealed for more help from members of a U.S.-led coalition that has conducted nearly a year of airstrikes in support of the Iraqi military.

U.S. and French officials gave Iraq a vote of confidence after those talks, saying real gains have been made, but also said more equipment and training are needed to bolster an Iraqi offensive to regain territory seized by the militants.

On Sunday, Iraqi forces advanced in Baiji where they are trying to reclaim the oil refinery town from Islamic State fighters for the second time in the span of a year.

The Islamic State group has targeted oil production sites in Iraq and Syria, using the revenue to fund its operations in both countries as militants face resistance from pro-government forces, Kurdish militias, Syrian rebels and the U.S.-led airstrikes.

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced during the first day of the summit Sunday that Britain will send 125 more troops to Iraq to train local forces fighting the Islamic State group, bringing the total to 275 British personnel. The country’s warplanes are also among the coalition partners involved in the ongoing air campaign against the militants.
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