By Canadian Press

As U.S. plans in Syria shift, Canada tries to plan for own forces in Iraq

Feb 23, 2019 | 8:06 AM

OTTAWA — The commander of Canada’s special forces says officials are watching closely to see what impact U.S. plans to withdraw hundreds of soldiers from Syria could have on Canada’s mission in neighbouring Iraq.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Maj.-Gen. Peter Dawe says the planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria has not had any material impact on his soldiers’ mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which is up for renewal at the end of March.

But he says officials here and elsewhere have been watching as the Trump administration works its plans for Syria because of the potential implications for Canada’s mission and the broader fight against ISIL.

The United States said Friday that it plans to leave about 400 troops in Syria, the latest in a continually shifting plan that started with President Donald Trump ordering an end to the military mission in December.

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The U.S. has 2,000 soldiers in Syria tasked with fighting ISIL, but while the extremist group has lost nearly all of its territory there and in Iraq, there have been concerns that a U.S. withdrawal will let it regroup.

Canada currently has about 500 service members in Iraq, including 200 military trainers and 120 special forces who have been helping Iraqi forces root out ISIL insurgents around the northern city of Mosul.

The Canadian Press