Iraq Expanding Its Forces on Kuwait’s Border, U.S. Reports

WASHINGTON —  Iraq has amassed a “significant military force” near its border with Kuwait, expanding it beyond the buildup first reported last week, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Assistant Secretary of State John Kelly, appearing before a House subcommittee, refused to confirm a report that Iraqi troop strength now numbers 100,000.

“I am not in a position to go into specific numbers but I can tell you it is a very large, significant military force,” he said.

Meanwhile, another U.S. official, who asked not to be identified, agreed that “there are indications Iraqi forces have been augmented since last week” when the buildup--sparked by a dispute over territory and oil--was reported to total around 30,000 troops.

Gulf-based sources said Iraqi forces on the border dwarfed the entire Kuwaiti army of 20,000.

Iraq and Kuwait began talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on their dispute, in which Baghdad claims that Kuwait had seized Iraqi territory and stolen oil worth $2.4 billion.