US troops in Iraq and Syria attacked 27 times in October
US Army Paratroopers at Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina. Photo: US Army/AFP via Getty Images
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Pentagon spokesperson, Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, said on Tuesday that this month there have been 27 attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria.
Ryder explained that the United States is sending an additional 300 troops to the Middle East with a focus on providing support in areas like explosive ordnance disposal and communications, according to Reuters.
The Pentagon spokesperson clarified that the troops would be traveling from the United States but would not be in Israel.
Ryder added that the troops are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster US force protection capabilities.
US officials said last week that the Pentagon sent the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Saudi Arabia and Patriot air defense missile system battalions to Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The sources explained that these systems will be deployed later in the week.
With regional tension over the Israel-Hamas conflict increasing dramatically, Washington is on high alert for activities by groups backed by Iran.
The United States has about 900 soldiers in Syria and 2,500 soldiers in Iraq.