The U.S. Department of Defense revealed Thursday that approximately 2,000 American troops are currently stationed in Syria, a number that substantially exceeds previous official statements.
This new figure represents more than double the troop count that Pentagon officials had been reporting in recent months. The troops are deployed on a temporary basis to support core U.S. military forces in their ongoing mission to prevent Islamic State forces from regrouping in the region.
Major General Pat Ryder, speaking as the Pentagon's press secretary, acknowledged that he only learned about these additional deployed forces on Thursday morning. When asked about the timing of this disclosure, the Defense Department did not provide a clear explanation for the delayed reporting of these numbers.
The Pentagon emphasized that this increased troop presence is not connected to recent developments involving Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebel forces in early December.
This revelation raises questions about transparency in military deployment reporting and the full scope of U.S. military involvement in Syria.