Cost of ISIS war passes $2 billion mark

The cost of U.S. military operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has surpassed the $2 billion mark.

The figure is based on the Pentagon’s cost update from last month, provided to The Hill by Defense Department spokesman Bill Urban.

“As of Mar. 26, 2015, the total cost of operations related to ISIL since kinetic operations started on Aug. 8, 2014, is $1.96 billion and the average daily cost is $8.5 million,” Urban said Thursday, using an alternate name for the terrorist group.

{mosads}The cost of U.S. operations against ISIS passed the $1 billion mark in December.

Just more than 3,000 U.S. troops have deployed to Iraq, most of whom are serving in advisory “non-combat” roles or providing security.

Most of the costs are from airstrikes the U.S. has conducted in both Iraq and Syria. Airstrikes were first launched in Iraq last August and expanded to Syria last September.

Earlier this week, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told a small group of reporters that President Obama should expand the troops’ role in Iraq so that they can engage ISIS in combat.

“I think the president is placing artificial constraints on our commanders,” he said, according to USA Today.

But the president has said he will not deploy combat troops to battle ISIS.