U.S. troops playing new role amid competing forces
The U.S. military has carved out a new role in Syria, with small numbers of troops now positioned to prevent an escalation of violence among an array of militias and other forces that have converged on an increasingly complex battlefield.
A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, on Monday said the U.S. troops are on the western outskirts of Manbij to “reassure and deter,” and are making themselves visible by flying American flags. It is neither an offensive nor defensive role, he said, but a mission designed to keep a lid on tensions that risk creating new levels of violence in northern Syria.
“It’s a visible reminder, for anybody who’s looking to start a fight, that the only fight that should be going on right now is with ISIS,” Davis said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.
Manbij is a flash point because Turkey contends that Syrian Kurdish fighters it considers a threat to Turkey are operating in the city, despite U.S. denials. Also in the area are Syrian government forces backed by Russia, as well as American-supported Syrian Arab fighters.
The “reassure and deter” mission, as described by Davis, does not reflect a fundamental shift in the U.S. approach to combatting the Islamic State in Syria. It appears to have emerged as an improvised way to prevent the Syria conflict from escalating and to keep Turkey and Syrian opposition groups focused on fighting the militants rather than each other. Davis said the deployment of small numbers of U.S. troops in and around Manbij was done under authorities that existed prior to President Trump taking office and therefore did not require new approvals in Washington.
Asked whether this is a new mission for U.S. troops in Syria, Davis said, “It is, absolutely.”
The volatile situation around Manbij is worrisome for the U.S. on several levels, including a concern that additional conflict there could detract from U.S. efforts to mold a Syrian opposition force capable of recapturing Raqqa, the selfdeclared capital of the Islamic State.