(VOVworld) – US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter this week defended President Barack Obama’s strategy to defeat the Islamic State, but admitted that there are difficulties recruiting in Syria and Iraq for their training program.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter testifies at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 7, 2015. (Photo: Getty Images)

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Mr Carter said the training program of Iraqi security forces has seen slow progress due to a lack of trainees, despite some 3,500 US soldiers taking part in training programs in 6 Iraqi localities. Carter was insistent about improving the training quality and increasing the number of trained fighters.