The United States currently has 2,000 troops in Syria. The announcement was made by the press office of the Pentagon, which rejects the estimates of the international media, which spoke of nearly 900 troops. The spokesperson of the Department of Defense emphasized in a press conference that the US troops are all in Syria and will have a limited mandate. American troops aim to fight against ISIS.
"The transfer of authority in Syria can be accompanied by clashes. As a result, we have troops there. The total number of forces officially deployed in Syria is 900. So, in itself, in terms of additional numbers, as you know, with the transition of years may fluctuate, given the current situation in Syria. 2,000 troops are all in Syria to fight ISIS," said Major Pat Ryder, Pentagon General.
So, Joe Biden has authorized sending the top diplomat to Damascus to meet with Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Islamic rebels who overthrew Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad but have been designated a terrorist group by the US. Barbara Leaf, the State Department's top Middle East official, will lead the delegation in the coming days, the Financial Times points out. The meeting would be the first official face-to-face contact between the US and the leaders of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the offensive that toppled Assad two weeks ago after a blitzkrieg offensive against the regime.
The planned visit to the US comes as Jolani, who now goes by his birth name Ahmed al-Sharea, urges Western countries to lift sanctions on Syria and Washington tries to prevent terrorist groups, including ISIS, from taking advantage of the vacuum. of power remaining after the fall of Assad. US officials say they will consider removing HTS's terrorist designation, which has been in place since 2018, and sanctions on the Syrian state if the group proves its commitment to "comprehensive" rule and maintaining stability. (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
