Pentagon: America's goal is to reduce the number of troops in Syrian Kurdistan
ARK News: General Kenneth Mackenzie, commander of US Central Command, said that the US military will not increase the number of its troops in Syria to conduct joint patrols with Turkey, adding that its ultimate goal is to reduce the number of those forces.
Mackenzie said on Friday that the new mission would not require additional troops.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that the Pentagon was preparing to send about 150 troops to patrol ground with Turkish forces.
"We will not beef up our presence on the ground to carry out these patrols," Mackenzie said during a visit to Baghdad but acknowledged the number of troops in Syria could change as part of troop rotations.
The US military commander said: “We will patrol with the Turks and we will do so within the current number while seeking any opportunities to reduce the number over time”.
The same information was confirmed by Pentagon spokesman Major Sean Robertson yesterday in a statement, noting “there is no change in the status of US forces in Syria”.
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