The United States has greater than doubled the variety of forces in Syria earlier than the overthrow of longtime dictator Bashar Assad, the Pentagon mentioned Thursday.
The U.S. beforehand mentioned 900 troops have been in Syria, however Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, introduced that 2,000 have been there and had been for some time.
The Pentagon had been requested repeatedly in latest days and weeks concerning the U.S. presence in Syria and by no means disclosed the dramatic enhance.
Ryder mentioned he didn’t know the way lengthy the quantity had been 2,000, however it was most likely months at a minimal and pre-dated the ouster of Assad.
“I learned the number today … as somebody who’s been standing up here telling you 900, I wanted to get you what we had on that,” he mentioned.
Ryder mentioned that the extra troops are thought-about short-term forces.
Until Thursday, the Pentagon had insisted there had been no change to the U.S. power numbers in Syria, whilst questions arose as as to whether the brand new instability there has put the U.S. mission in jeopardy.
It had mentioned publicly for a number of years that it had 900 troops in Syria who it says have been working to stop a resurgence of Deash, which in 2014 seized massive swathes of Iraq and Syria however was later pushed again.
Anti-regime forces overthrew Assad nearly two weeks in the past as they seized the capital Damascus unopposed after a lightning advance that despatched Assad fleeing to Russia.
President Joe Biden’s administration has mentioned that U.S. troops might be staying in Syria, although President-elect Donald Trump might take away them when he takes workplace on Jan. 20.
Trump tried to withdraw forces from Syria throughout his first time period, which drove former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign in protest. He has mentioned he doesn’t help U.S. forces getting extra concerned in Syria.
Türkiye has for years criticized the U.S. for backing the YPG terrorist group in northern Syria, which it helps below the pretext that it helps struggle towards Deash.
For Türkiye, the YPG is an extension of the PKK, which is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. itself and European Union.
The U.S. recurrently offers navy help to the YPG, which is now cornered in northeastern Syria.
In the times for the reason that fall of Assad, the PKK/YPG was pushed by Syrian opposition forces from Tal Rifaat and Manbij, key cities it occupied amid lawlessness within the war-torn nation.
Türkiye believes that forces of the Syrian National Army, which it backs, will liberate PKK/YPG-controlled areas, officers mentioned Thursday.
Since 2016, Türkiye mounted 4 navy operations in northern Syria, citing nationwide safety threats. It has 1000’s of troops within the area to push again PKK/YPG terrorists from its borders.
Source: www.dailysabah.com