Pentagon to North-Press: We adjusted the number of our troops in Syria to support SDF operations

Sean Robertson, Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson

Washington – North-Press Agency

Hadeel Ouiess

 

Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson told North-Press that the United States has enough troops in Syria to support the operations of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS).

 

In an interview with North-Press, Robertson said that the United States has re-adjusted its presence and numbers of its forces in Syria after the Turkish invasion hindered this presence and the battles against ISIS last October.

 

The United States, 77 countries of the coalition, and five international organizations continue to provide direct military support and financing to the SDF, in addition to the legal and political support necessary to achieve the permanent and continuous defeat of ISIS, according to Robertson.

 

He said: "We have more trained forces from the Coalition countries present in the region to support the operations of the SDF, and are always in a state of readiness to move in Syria."

 

The U.S. military provides a range of support to help ensure the SDF is able to detain these ISIS fighters securely and humanely, including support to repair and renovate SDF detention facilities, very few of which are purpose-built. We continue to evaluate the situation in Syria and to work by, with, and through our SDF partners to identify further requirements for detention security," according to Robertson.

 

"The United States maintains, however, that the best disposition option is for detained foreign terrorist fighters’ home countries to repatriate, prosecute, and, where appropriate, to incarcerate them."

 

US President Donald Trump has announced more than once that he is committed to fighting the Islamic State in Syria, "which is critical to our national security," according to the Pentagon spokesman.

 

Robertson explained that the United States believes that the ISIS threat in Syria is still present and constitutes a real danger that may return at any moment unless the United States maintains its presence against the organization.