US-led coalition confirms Marines deploy to Syria

A convoy of US forces armored vehicles drives near the village of Yalanli, on the western outskirts of the northern Syrian city of Manbij, on March 5, 2017. (AFP / DELIL SOULEIMAN)

BEIRUT, Lebanon: The US-led coalition against Daesh confirmed on Thursday the deployment of additional US forces to Syria to accelerate the defeat of Daesh in its Syrian base of operations at Raqqa city.
Coalition spokesman US Air Force Col. John Dorrian said the additional forces would be working with local partners in Syria — the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Arab Coalition — and would not have a frontline role.
The SDF includes the Kurdish YPG militia.
The additional forces that had arrived in “the last few days” comprised a Marines artillery unit and Army Rangers.
“We are talking about an additional 400 or so forces in total, and they will be there for a temporary period,” Dorrian said by telephone. The deployment was on top of an existing 500 US forces already in Syria, he said.