US Troops in Syrian City Where Russian Troops Are Operating

US Army Rangers are in the ground in and around Manbij, Syria, a move that both looks to reassure allied fighters in the fight against ISIS and improve reports to commanders about the state of play on the ground, the coalition said Wednesday. The Pentagon announced earlier this week that a small number of Rangers moved into Manbij, and they saw a situation where “the different parties on the ground were at risk of skirmishing with each other and fighting each other,” Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said Monday. The Rangers focused on getting all parties to focus on ISIS, a step that has been achieved, Davis said. Coalition spokesman Air Force Col. John Dorrian said Wednesday the deployment shows that the US is committed to its allies. Also, the Rangers can report back to the higher echelons of command “with the highest level of fidelity” what’s happening in that area. The deployment of Rangers now means that US ground troops are operating in the same city where Russian troops have been deployed. Russia has not coordinated its operations, but is keeping the US updated on what they do through the regular deconfliction channel, Dorrian said. Both groups are doing “what they can to stay away from each other,” he said.