US doubles Syria troop deployment after Assad’s fall

Last Updated on December 22, 2024 6:54 am

Syrian opposition forces have taken control of the capital and other major cities in less than two weeks, ending the dictatorship of President Bashar al-Assad. The forces were led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). There are signs that the remnants of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria are trying to exploit a potential power vacuum.

In such a situation, the United States has more than doubled the number of troops in Syria to fight the Islamic State group. The Pentagon has acknowledged the dramatic increase in troops.

The Times of Israel reported this on Friday (December 20).

The United States has said for years that it has about 900 troops in Syria, but Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder admitted that there are now about 2,000 troops there.

The Pentagon has been repeatedly asked about the US presence in Syria since the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on December 8. But it has not disclosed the troop increase, instead reporting 900 troops.

The additional forces have been in Syria for months, Ryder said at a Pentagon press conference. Ryder said he was only aware of the new troop increase and that the increase was not related to the ouster of Assad or the escalation of the offensive against ISIS.

Ryder blamed diplomatic considerations and sensitivities for the secrecy, but declined to provide more specifics.

The US and Syria’s neighbors – Turkey and Iraq – have long had a dispute over the ongoing presence of US forces in Syria and the need to keep them at a certain level. New US President-elect Donald Trump, however, has said he does not support further US involvement in Syria.