US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stresses the continued importance of American military presence in Syria to prevent the Islamic State from regaining strength.
The United States must maintain its military presence in Syria to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State as a significant threat after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's government, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told The Associated Press.Why It MattersThe future of the U.S. military presence in Syria was called into question after a swift insurgency toppled Assad on December 8, bringing an end to his family's decadeslong rule.
Since the fall of the Assad regime, tensions across the Middle East have continued to remain high, prompting concerns from countries in the region.What To KnowAmerican troops remain essential in Syria, particularly to safeguard detention camps housing tens of thousands of former Islamic State fighters and their families, Austin said Wednesday in one of his final interviews before leaving office.Estimates suggest that the camps house between 8,000 and 10,000 Islamic State fighters, with at least 2,000 classified as highly dangerous.The U.S. currently has approximately 2,000 troops stationed in Syria to counter Islamic State fighters, a substantial increase from the long-reported figure of 900. The initial deployment began in 2015 after the militant group seized control of a significant portion of the country.U.S. forces have collaborated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in operations targeting Islamic State fighters, offering support to a group Turkey regards as linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara designates as a terrorist organization.During his first term in 2018, President-elect Donald Trump attempted to withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria, a move that led to the resignation of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Last month, as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group advanced against Assad's forces, Trump took to social media to assert that the U.S. military should avoid involvement in the conflic
SYRIA ISIS US MILITARY DEFENSE SECRETARY AUSTIN ASSAD REGIME
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Aunt of Austin Tice, journalist missing in Syria says new information proves he's aliveThe family of Austin Tice, an American journalist who was abducted in Syria in 2012 while reporting in Damascus on the uprising of the Syrian President, say the
Read more »
Collapse of Syria’s Assad regime renews US push to find Austin TiceThe fall of the Bashar al-Assad and the mass liberation of numerous notorious prisons in Syria has brought renewed hope for the location and return of American Austin Tice, held captive for 12 years.
Read more »
Who is Austin Tice, the Texas reporter missing for 12 years now in Syria?Meet Austin Tice, Texan investigative journalist held by Syria for more than 12 years now.
Read more »
Senators call on Biden to brief upper chamber on efforts to return Austin Tice from SyriaIn a bipartisan push, senators have called on President Biden to brief the upper chamber to provide specific details on efforts underway to secure the release of Austin Tice from captivity in Syria.
Read more »
US sent Austin Tice 'message' to Syria's HTS rebels emptying Assad prisonsThe U.S. is communicating with rebel groups inside Syria amid the search for missing American journalist Austin Tice, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
Read more »
Family of Austin Tice hopeful for his return as US pledges renewed efforts in SyriaThe family of Austin Tice, an American journalist who was abducted in Syria in 2012, is confident the journalist is still alive.
Read more »