The US military is using more than 5,500 contractors in Syria and Iraq the Pentagon revealed in a quarterly report this week that acknowledges the use of contractors in the Syrian war zone for the first time.
Syria is grouped together with Iraq, which means the exact number of contractors there remains unknown. The latest figures from US Central Command indicate that 5,508 US and foreign contractors are working alongside US troops in Syria and Iraq. That’s an increase of 581, or 12%, over January’s numbers, which did not include Syria. About half of the contractors are US citizens, while the rest are local or third-country hires.
The US contractors are mostly focused on supporting the 2,000 US troops in Syria by delivering hot meals, gasoline and other supplies, the report says. More than 30% of them support logistics and maintenance, according to the quarterly Pentagon report, and another 27% help with support and construction of US military outposts in the region.
Source: TYT Investigates
However, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis did state earlier this year that Washington was planning to send contractors to Syria. The Pentagon first indicated that it would be hiring military contractors for operations in Syria in a 2016 report.
Though previous Defense Department personnel reports in the region hadn’t mentioned a Pentagon contractor presence in Syria, the US Department of Labor acknowledged in a report last year that two contractors were killed and six injured in fiscal year 2017. The Pentagon numbers don’t represent contractors working for other US agencies, such as the State Department, which assists with demining.
Meanwhile, it was reported earlier this month that the US military is potentially working on plans to send an additional contingent to Syria to secure a foothold in the north of the country, even as US President Donald Trump reiterates his intention to withdraw troops.
Based on Al-Monitor, Russia Today reports.
