Pentagon acknowledges higher number of US troops in Syria
The United States now officially has 2,000 troops in Syria, up from 500 previously, despite the Islamic State’s collapse.
The Pentagon is publicly revealing that a larger number of US troops are stationed in Syria, after helping local fighters clear most Islamic State-held areas in the war-torn country.
As of today, the Pentagon says it has approximately 2,000 troops in Syria, up from the 500 figure it was touting as recently as last month. With the self-described Islamic State (IS) caliphate almost 97% gone, according to the Defense Department, those forces will now assist local groups, such as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Raqqa Internal Security Force (RISF), as they seek to stabilize the country.
Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning also said that 5,200 US troops are serving in Iraq, consistent with the previous count.
Officials also said the Donald Trump administration’s mission in Syria, backed by a US-led coalition of 73 nations, will not be subject to pre-imposed timelines. The Pentagon first announced plans to revise the number on Aug. 31, when they unveiled a higher troop count in Afghanistan.
