Special forces commander hesitant to say US is 'winning' ISIS fight in Syria
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The commander of US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) joined the growing list of experienced military leaders who have expressed that ISIS has not been defeated in Syria.
Army Gen. Raymond Thomas testified to the US Senate Committee on Armed Services that "I do not think we're there yet," referring to defeating the extremist group.
His testimony is at odds with President Donald Trump's declaration that the US has effectively beaten ISIS in Iraq and Syria and "won."
"I'd be hesitant to use the term winning, as opposed to the objective," said Thomas, who has served 38 years in the military.
The United States officially has about 2,000 forces in Syria, although analysts speculate the number is higher because of troop rotations and special forces whose deployments and missions are often classified.
"We're on the verge of diminishing the threat and then in the process of determining what the residual capability needs to remain in place in the region to ensure that we are securing that, securing that objective," Thomas added.
Green Berets, in particular, have functioned as a force multiplier — training, advising, and assisting the predominately-Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) into the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Officials have repeatedly described the Kurds as the most effective anti-ISIS fighters in the conflict.
Military officials have refused to set a timetable for Trump's withdrawal from Syria.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says an Ankara-backed operation into Manbij could happen within weeks, while an operation east of the Euphrates could occur within months.
Russian military police reportedly have expanded patrols into the Manbij area.
The YPG views any incursion into Syria by Turkey or its proxy fighters as a violation of the country's sovereignty that will likely lead to an Afrin-like occupation and forced displacement.
With few options the political arm of the YPG, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) has said it is open to conditioned talks with Damascus.
Thomas added he was uncertain of the makeup of the "end state" in Syria.
"This has been one of the most complex challenges that our force has dealt with in quite a while," he said.
"I am concerned that we are not overly restricted in the end state, and I don't honestly know what that is."
