The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that there are more than 2,500 US troops in Iraq, the total routinely touted publicly. It also said the number of forces in Syria has grown over the past “several years” due to increasing threats, but was not openly disclosed.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that there are “at least 2,500” US military personnel in Iraq “plus some additional, temporary enablers” that are on rotational deployments.
He said that due to diplomatic considerations, the department will not provide more specifics.
The US concluded sensitive negotiations with the government of Iraq in September that called for troops to begin leaving after the November election.
The presence of US troops there has long been a political liability for Iraqi leaders who are under increased pressure and influence from Iran.
US officials have not provided details about the withdrawal agreement, but it calls for the mission against the ISIS group to end by September 2025, and that some US troops will remain through 2026 to support the anti-ISIS mission in Syria. Some troops may stay in the Kurdistan region after that because the regional government would like them to stay.
Ryder announced last week that there are about 2,000 US troops in Syria – more than double the 900 that the US had acknowledged publicly until now.
On Monday he said the extra 1,100 would be deployed for shorter times to do force protection, transportation, maintenance and other missions. He said the number has fluctuated for the past several years and increased “over time.”
