00:00that in fact there are approximately 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.
00:04Who are these forces? Is this special operations forces? Are any there in an effort or part of an effort to find Austin Tice?
00:14What assurances can you give to the Kurdish SDF right now that the U.S. isn't planning to pull out or leave?
00:23All right. Good afternoon, everyone.
00:27I've got a fair amount to pass along today.
00:29So I just want to say thanks in advance for your patience.
00:33Lots to talk about. So first, I want to bring up one item.
00:38As you know, we have been briefing you regularly that there are approximately 900 U.S.
00:43troops deployed to Syria. In light of the situation in Syria and the significant interest,
00:49we recently learned that those numbers were higher.
00:53And so asked to look into it, I learned today that in fact there are approximately 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.
01:02As I understand it, and as it was explained to me,
01:05these additional forces are considered temporary rotational forces that deploy to meet shifting mission requirements,
01:12whereas the core 900 deployers are on longer term deployments.
01:15And as you know, for many of our deployments, numbers will fluctuate from time to time.
01:21But given that this number is significantly higher than what we've been briefing,
01:26I wanted to let you know as soon as I found out this information.
01:32I will say that there are diplomatic and operational security considerations,
01:38oftentimes with our deployments and some of those numbers and certainly the case here.
01:45But again, given that there is significant interest in Syria, given what we have briefed previously,
01:53I wanted to make sure that you had the most up to date information.
01:57I will also highlight that, again, as it was explained to me,
02:02these forces which augment the defeat ISIS mission were there before the fall of the Assad regime.
02:10And I'll be happy to answer any questions on that when we get to the Q&A.
02:14Can you explain a little more fully, first of all, why we haven't heard this number before?
02:22But secondly, who are these forces? Is this special operations forces?
02:26Are any there in an effort or part of an effort to find Austin Tice?
02:33And I guess I'm just a little confused. You said this was before the fall.
02:38So this isn't in response to unrest and disruptions.
02:45This is in response then to what?
02:48Correct. So again, a couple of things.
02:50So as I highlighted, for deployments, and as you know, having followed these for a while,
02:57it's not uncommon as units come in and go, come in and out, the replacement in place,
03:06transfer of authorities, those kinds of things, there will oftentimes be a bump, right?
03:11So the total number of forces officially deployed to Syria is 900.
03:18So that in and of itself in terms of the additional numbers, as you know, over the years, that can fluctuate.
03:25Obviously, given the current situation in Syria, just very recently I was made aware of the fact that,
03:32hey, maybe there's more forces than just a small number or, you know,
03:37what would normally be considered, you know, around the 900 range.
03:41So we asked to look into it, got those numbers today, significantly higher than the 900,
03:48which is, again, why we wanted to let you know.
03:51Now, those forces, what they've been doing is all focused on the defeat ISIS mission.
03:58And again, that core 900, approximately 900, those are going to be your longer term deployers, right?
04:04Nine to 12 months, as I understand it, versus temporary forces,
04:08which are going to rotate in on a 30 to 90 day basis, again, as it's been explained to me,
04:13that are there to meet any type of emerging mission requirements associated with the defeat ISIS mission.
04:20Predominantly Army forces.
04:23And, you know, I'm not going to be able to provide a breakdown of, you know,
04:28special operations forces, but all of those forces focused on the defeat ISIS mission.
04:34Again, as I understand it, a certain element of this also goes into diplomatic
04:41and operational security concerns as it relates to the region.
04:45But again, given the difference in the number that we've been providing,
04:51we have made the decision, I made the decision, to go ahead and give you that number.
04:59Just so I'm clear, are you suggesting this 1,100 is RIPTOA?
05:06No, I'm not. I'm just saying that traditionally as we track deployments, right,
05:10when we say approximately 900, sometimes that's going to fluctuate up to 1,200, 1,300 as units go in and out.
05:17Obviously, these numbers, the additional numbers, again, as I understand it,
05:23are considered temporary forces that are there to support the de-ISIS mission,
05:28to support the forces that are deployed there longer term.
05:32To include, you know, I'm sure a certain element of that would be RIPTOA,
05:36but a lot of those forces are going to have already been operating there,
05:40you know, coming in and out and doing those kinds of things.
05:42Can you say when? How long ago this happened?
05:45I don't have a specific date to provide, Lita, but my understanding is it's been for a while.
05:50So clearly before the fall of the Assad regime.
05:54So, yeah.
05:56What's a while?
05:57I don't have a number to provide, but again—
06:00I mean, you're talking more than double the number of troops that we've been told for quite some time.
06:04So are we talking about this has been going on for months, for years?
06:08Is it something that just happened this summer?
06:10I mean, we need a time frame, I think, is fair.
06:12Yeah, I think it would probably be fair to say at a minimum months.
06:16I'll go back and look.
06:18But, yeah, it's been going on for a while.
06:22And what assurances can you give to the Kurdish SDF right now
06:28that the U.S. isn't planning to pull out or leave?
06:32Well, right now we have no—
06:35you know, there are no plans to cease the Defeat ISIS mission.
06:40I mean, again, ISIS continues to maintain or to pose a significant threat.
06:45So right now no plans that I'm aware of to stop that mission.
06:49About 500 SDF have left their posts in terms of guarding the ISIS camps.
06:56Are U.S. forces going to take their places?
07:00Well, our focus is, again—
07:02I mean, working with the SDF, but, Jennifer, I don't have anything for you
07:06in terms of relocation of U.S. forces within Syria.
