{"id":55615,"date":"2017-12-03T22:06:28","date_gmt":"2017-12-03T22:06:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/12\/03\/mattis-signals-military-shift-in-syria-to-reflect-isis-defeat\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:25:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:25:42","slug":"mattis-signals-military-shift-in-syria-to-reflect-isis-defeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/12\/03\/mattis-signals-military-shift-in-syria-to-reflect-isis-defeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Mattis signals military shift in Syria to reflect ISIS defeat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT \u2014 The U.S. military is shifting its stance in Syria, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday, as the program to arm the Kurdish opposition comes to a close and is replaced by increased support to local police and security forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mattis said the Pentagon is \u201cchanging the composition of our forces\u201d in Syria to reflect the collapse of the Islamic State group there and a renewed emphasis on finding a diplomatic path to peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to reporters on his plane at the start of a five-day trip to the Middle East, Mattis said the shift in American forces will support the diplomatic process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His comments came on the heels of the announcement last week that the U.S. would stop actively providing arms to Syrian Kurds, known as the YPG. Officials have acknowledged that the U.S. will likely begin taking back large military vehicles and heavy weapons from the Kurds, now that major combat operations to retake Raqqa from the Islamic State group are over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not clear, however, whether the move to provide arms has completely stopped already, or is in the process of ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the changing U.S. military role, an artillery unit of about 400 Marines<\/a> is leaving Syria this week, taking their howitzers with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their exodus still leaves well more than 1,000 U.S. troops in the country. Although the Pentagon will only publicly acknowledge about 500 U.S. forces in Syria, there were at least 1,700 there throughout much of the year as the battle for Raqqa raged on.<\/p>\n\n\n\t