ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In an effort to advise Syrian rebel groups and boos the impact of operations against the Islamic State (ISIS), Washington is considering sending another 250 special forces troops.
"The purpose of sending the additional US troops is to train the ground local forces to reclaim areas still held by ISIS, including Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq," CNN quoted an unidentified US defense official as saying.
"If approved, these troops would grow the current U.S. Special Operations effort of up to 50 troops authorized to be in Syria. They are there to provide advice and assistance to moderate Syrian forces fighting ISIS," CNN reported the official as saying.
US officials had earlier said that the proposed increase would be “just a few dozen” because of the need to provide additional support forces such as aviation and intelligence.
Earlier this week US President Barack Obama reportedly said in a meeting with top commanders that the military must “keep on putting the pressure” on ISIS to degrade the group’s ability to operate “headquarters” in the Syrian city of Raqqa or Mosul in Iraq.
US special forces advisors alongside rebels played a decisive role in retaking the strategic Syrian town of al-Shadadi from ISIS.
The United States sent dozens of special operations troops to northern Syria last year to advise opposition forces in their fight against the Islamic State and other radical Islamist groups operating within the country.
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