Obama Plans To Send More U.S. Forces To Syria
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – President Barack Obama says he will send additional U.S. forces to Syria to help fight ISIS.
It's a move that comes at the end of a week of overseas meetings with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Germany.
On Sunday, rescue workers rushed to help victims of another government assault on the Syrian city of Aleppo.
As the civil war there continues, the U.S. will step up its fight against a third side of the Syria conflict: the Islamic State.
President Obama announced Monday morning that 250 American military personnel will join the 50 already on the ground in Syria.
Many will be special operations forces, working closely with local fighters.
The move comes just a week after the U.S. upped its efforts against ISIS on the Iraq side of the border.
"We are going to place additional advisers with the Iraqi Security Forces," said United States Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.
Two hundred new American forces will bring the total there to more than 4,000. They'll fight closer to the front lines and be aided by increased fire power.
Military officials said the new forces in Syria are aimed at encouraging Sunni forces in Syria to join the fight.