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.