Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley on Sunday said the U.S. “footprint is small” in Syria, but that its mission "remains the same" -- to defeat ISIS fighters who are still in the area.
In an interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” Milley said troop levels in Syria will be “probably in the 500 frame, maybe 600.”
“There are still ISIS fighters in the area,” he said, adding: “Unless pressure is maintained...there is a very real possibility that conditions could be set for a reemergence of ISIS. The footprint is small but the objective remains the same — the defeat of ISIS.”
He said the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a U.S. operation “will have a very significant disruptive effect on the organization as a whole.”
And he said the successor is someone the United States will “go after him as well.”
The new ISIS leader has been identified as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi.
“We do have a considerable amount of information on that individual,” he said, adding: “We’ll see if he’s able to piece together his organization or not. We’ll pay close attention to him and where opportunities arise we’ll go after him as well.”
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