US May Send Additional 1,000 Troops to Back Anti-Daesh Op in Syria's Raqqa

The United States may deploy an additional 1,000 troops into northern Syria in a matter of weeks to aid the offensive against the Daesh terror group (outlawed in Russia), US media reported.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing US defense officials, that 1,000 more troops would be sent into Syria to back the offensive against Daesh in the city of Raqqa.

On March 9, the US-led coalition against Daesh confirmed that a US Marine Corps artillery unit had deployed to Syria to aid local forces in the Raqqa offensive.

The plan to send additional US troops is pending approval from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, the report added.

The plan comes on the heels of Mattis' briefing on February 27 with the National Security Council’s principals committee on a plan to defeat Daesh.

Last November, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces with the assistance of the US-led coalition's airstrikes started the military operation to liberate Raqqa that is considered the terrorist group's major outpost in the country.