United States could open air base in Iraqi's Kurdistan to help in fight against Islamic State.

"The base is close to Erbil, the capital of the regional government," Hikmet said. "The warplanes will do surveillance, but the warplanes which will bomb ISIL targets will not take off from here."

Hekmat said the base – once ready – would be used by all countries that are part of the US-led coalition arrayed against insurgents fighting under the Islamic State (ISIS) banner.

US warplanes have been pounding ISIS positions in Iraq since early August, with some Western and Arab states more recently taking part.

In a news briefing in Washington on Tuesday, Pentagon Spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby denied that the US had any military bases in Erbil.

“We don't have a military base in Erbil. There are some Combat Search and Rescue assets that we have up in Erbil, should they be needed, and we're grateful for the space that they're able to occupy up there,” he said.

According to the New York Times the Iraqi government has been angered by the stationing of the helicopters in the Kurdish capital, with officials in Baghdad voicing their complaints to U.S. officials that the deployment will increase Kurdish calls for independence.