Eyeing Raqqa offensive, US to deploy 200 more troops to Syria

DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. December 10, 2016, 10:15 PM (IDT)

American Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Saturday that the US wil send another 200 troops to join its 300 already in Syria to help rebel groups fight ISIS in Raqqa, the terrorist organization’s capital in the country. Speaking at a conference in Bahrain, Carter said the upcoming deployment is to consist of bomb disposal specialists, special forces trainers and advisors. He added that the US military aims to cut off the main roads between Islamic State’s two capitals, Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, so “Leaders of the terrorist group can no longer travel between Raqqa and Mosul without the risk of either being struck from the air or hunted down by the coalition’s Expeditionary Targeting Force”.

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