U.S. Special Forces to Aid Turkish Troops in Syria

The U.S. has agreed to send about 40 special-operations troops to work alongside Turkish forces to fight Islamic State in northern Syria, U.S. officials said.

(WSJ)- It is the first time American special-operations forces will work with the Turkish military in Syria, in a move seen by U.S. officials as a way to strengthen the relationship with an ally in the fight against Islamic State militants. The troops are expected to be inside Syria in coming days, U.S. officials said.

The joint mission will take the forces east toward the northern Syrian town of Dabiq, a symbolically significant Islamic State stronghold. U.S. special-operations forces will operate as combat advisers and generally under the same guidelines as other special -operations forces are working inside Syria, U.S. officials said.

The U.S. authorized up to 300 special-operations forces into Syria last spring. At any one time, however, there may be fewer than that number operating there. The teams accompanying Turkish forces won’t increase the overall “cap” of American troops for Syria, according to officials.

President Barack Obama approved the joint U.S.-Turkish plan this week. It comes as theU.S. and Russia work to implement a cease-fire in Syria that could lead to greater military coordination between Moscow and Washington in the fight against Islamic State in Syria.

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