A few of those forces included fighters from the Syrian Arab Coalition, which the United States says received 50 tons of ammunition during a U.S. airdrop into Syria on October 12.
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“While this is not a large tactical action, we believe the operation demonstrates the viability of our program to provide support to these forces”, Warren told Pentagon reporters.
A senior U.S. Department of Defense recently said the campaign will involve enhanced training in Iraq, particularly in counter-improvised explosive devices, counter-breaching and combined arms to enable Iraqi security forces to take back Ramadi and Beiji from ISIL control.
Warren reiterated that the US has not provided weapons to the YPG, also called the People’s Protection Units, and said Turkish allies would be consulted before such an action was taken.
A newly formed group of U.S.-backed Syrian rebels has driven Islamic State militants out of an expansive region in northeast Syria, a US spokesman in Baghdad said Wednesday.
The operation involved an offensive attack in the ISIS-controlled town of al-Hawl.
At the same time, the Coalition reaffirmed its continuing support for the efforts of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s government to address corruption, decentralize certain federal authorities, and reconcile ethnic and sectarian divisions in Iraq.
In addition to gains in al-Hawl, Warren said rebel forces pressured Islamic State fighters this week along the so-called Mara line, a western boundary of Islamic State territory that runs north of Aleppo and near the border with Turkey. “We saw that make a difference here”.
Whether future airdrops will also include weapons has yet to be decided, he said.
“We’re willing to reinforce success and amplify our approach when it’s working well”, he said. But, Warren said, the operation somewhat justifies the new program.
The spokesman said the operation had pitted “well over a thousand friendly forces” against “several hundred enemies” in the vicinity, after heavy U.S. airstrikes had cleared the way.
Washington’s strategy in Syria has shifted from trying to train fighters outside the country to supplying groups headed by US-vetted commanders. The rebel forces would not fight and much of their American-supplied equipment ended up in the hands of extremists – the Islamic State group and al-Qaida affiliates.
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United States officials have stressed the forces would not engage in front-line combat.
