The Pentagon disclosed an unexpected increase in the number of American troops in Syria, citing operational security and diplomatic sensitivities as reasons for the delayed information.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder noted that the higher troop count is meant to support official forces against the Islamic State, emphasizing the significance of updated transparency despite previous briefings.
Historically, U.S. troop presence in Syria has been contentious, with 2019 seeing President Trump order troop withdrawals, only for the Pentagon to maintain a limited deployment to protect oil fields.
Ryder confirmed that the troop increase is temporary and not tied to the recent instability caused by the fall of Assad, underlining the focus on combating IS threats.
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