WASHINGTON – The United States has more than doubled the number of its forces in Syria to fight the Islamic State group — a dramatic increase that the Pentagon revealed Thursday, acknowledging that the added troops have been there for months or even more than a year.
The U.S. had said for years that there were about 900 troops in Syria, but Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, acknowledged there were roughly 2,000 there now.
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The Pentagon was asked repeatedly about the U.S. presence in Syria in the wake of the chaotic overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad on Dec. 8. It did not disclose the increase and instead kept repeating the 900 figure.
Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Ryder said the additional forces had been in Syria “at a minimum months — it’s been going on for awhile.” He said he only just learned the new number and that the increase was not related to the ouster of Assad or any hike in attacks either by or against IS.
Pentagon officials said they were working to nail down the timing of the increase and what exactly the additional forces were doing.
Ryder blamed the secrecy on “diplomatic considerations” and sensitivities, but declined to be more specific. There has long been friction between the U.S. and Syria's neighbors — Turkey and Iraq — about the ongoing presence of American forces in Syria and the need to keep them at a particular level.
And Ryder said he is “not tracking” any additional adjustments to the force numbers in the future. That could change, however, as President-elect Donald Trump has said he does not support U.S. forces getting more involved in Syria.
Ryder told reporters the increase in forces was temporary and they are there to augment U.S. operations against the Islamic State group. He said U.S. Army conventional and special operations forces make up the bulk of the additional troops.
The “temporary” description, however, belies the fact that troops have been rotating in and out of Syria for nearly a decade, and for much of the last year, or possibly two, the number has consistently been higher than the 900 officials repeatedly insisted were there.
There have always been an undisclosed number of U.S. special operations forces deploying into Syria for short periods of time, but that would not account for the extra 1,100 forces.
Asked if Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin knew the total was that high, Ryder said, “I’m confident that the secretary is tracking U.S. forces deployed around the world.” When pressed on whether Austin directed his staff to keep the higher number secret, Ryder said no. He also said that Austin has not talked to Gen. Erik Kurilla, the top U.S. general for the Middle East, about the matter.
Since Assad's overthrow, Israel and Turkey have both launched military operations inside Syria's borders, including Tel Aviv's airstrikes against weapons facilities in the east that belonged to Assad's regime and Turkey's offensive in the northeast against Kurdish forces, who have partnered with the U.S. in its fight against the Islamic State.
The U.S. also has significantly stepped up airstrikes against IS targets in Syria over concern that a power vacuum would allow the militant group to reconstitute itself.
Until Thursday, the Pentagon had insisted there had been no change to the U.S. force numbers in Syria, even as questions arose as to whether the new instability there has put the U.S. mission in jeopardy. Ryder said the troop increase was long in place before the government overthrow and any uptick in airstrikes.
Trump tried to withdraw forces from Syria during his first term, which drove former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign in protest. Trump's decision also triggered a broad backlash on Capitol Hill and from stunned allies. He was convinced to leave U.S. forces in the country to help protect the critical oil fields.