American Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles Appear Near Syrian Hotspot
The revelation comes after Russian and Syrian airstrikes endanger US special operations forces and as a showdown between Kurdish rebels and Turkish forces may be imminent.
By Tyler RogowayMarch 4, 2017
Images appearing on social media today show American Stryker armored fighting vehicles in northern Syria. Deployment of these vehicles signal a large shift in force posture for US special operations forces operating alongside Kurdish and other anti-ISIS allies under the banner of Syrian Democratic Forces.
In the past, US special operations teams have been seen operating in technicals, lightly armored cars, and Humvees—not in high-tech, heavily armored fighting vehicles. Not just that, but some of the Strykers in these images appear to be unique to the US Army's special operations community. 16 Strykers were ported over to the 75th Range Regiment over a decade ago and were outfitted for their use; these vehicles saw action at least in Afghanistan and also possibly in Iraq. Considering the Trump administration's more aggressive foreign policy when it comes to US military engagements and fighting Islamic extremism overseas, and following a series of Syrian and Russian air strikes that appeared to target areas where US forces were operating, the sudden arrival of the much more protective and capable Strykers makes sense.
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/8085/american-stryker-armored-fighting-vehicles-appear-near-syrian-hotspot
