The U.S. government will deploy approximately 200 additional troops to Syria in support of coalition efforts to remove the Islamic State militant group from the IS’ hub in Raqqa, DoD News reported Saturday.
Shannon Collins writes Defense Secretary Ash Carter said at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain that the additional forces will include special operations forces, trainers, advisers and explosive ordnance disposal teams.
Carter added the new troops will join 300 U.S. special operations forces that are currently in Syria to help organize, train and equip local forces to combat the Islamic State group, Collins reported.
The defense secretary noted Bahrain, U.S. and coalition forces are engaged in a mission to isolate and remove the Islamic State’s control over Raqqa, Syria and Mosul, Iraq, the report stated.
Carter met with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to discuss the U.S.-Bahraini defense relationship, U.S. presence in Bahrain, U.S. commitment to regional security and the counter-IS coalition’s progress in Mosul and Raqqa, DoD News stated.
