US deploys tanks to Syria to protect troops after resurgence of ISIS and Russian ramming incident 

The US has deployed armored vehicles to Syria and an aircraft carrier has moved into position in the Gulf to protect American troops after soldiers were injured by a Russian military patrol last month and fears grow of a resurgence of ISIS. 

The Army sent in Bradley Fighting Vehicles to North East Syria to give troops fighter protection in the ongoing mission to defeat Islamic State, according to a coalition spokesman. 

The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier also entered the Persian Gulf Friday together with two guided-missile cruisers to fly missions over Syria and Iraq and protect troops stationed in the region. 

America’s ramping up of its military presence in Syria comes after ISIS claimed around 100 attacks in Iraq in August alone, sparking concerns the terrorist group is reemerging.

This comes despite Donald Trump claiming in October he had ‘defeated 100% of the ISIS Caliphate’ and insisting this week that American troops are ‘out’ of Syria.  

Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) spokesman Col Wayne Marotto tweeted Friday that Bradleys – armored personnel carriers – had been drafted in to northeast Syria as part of the fight against Daesh.

‘The @coalition continues to support our partners bringing the fight to Daesh,’ Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) spokesman Col Wayne Marotto wrote on Twitter. 

‘Positioning M2A2 Bradley’s in North East Syria provides force protection support to the continuing mission to #DefeatDaesh.’

Six Bradley vehicles, around 100 troops and some Sentinel radar systems arrived in Syria Friday, while there will also be an increase in combat air patrols with American fighter jets and drones.  

The last time Bradleys were sent to Syria was in October when they were deployed to help Syrian Democratic Forces defeat ISIS.

Hours before they were drafted in Friday, the USS Nimitz entered the Persian Gulf to fly missions over Syria and Iraq in order to provide extra protection for US troops. 

This comes as fears are growing that ISIS is building a stronghold in the region again and is posing a mounting threat on both domestic and foreign soil, following the spate of attacks last month. 

Around 100 Islamic State attacks took place in Iraq in August, a 25 percent increase from July, according to the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium.

In October, Donald Trump claimed his administration had ‘defeated’ ISIS.  

‘After defeating 100% of the ISIS Caliphate, I largely moved our troops out of Syria. Let Syria and Assad protect the Kurds and fight Turkey for their own land,’ he tweeted.

‘I said to my Generals, why should we be fighting for Syria.’   

On Friday, Trump also told reporters at the White House that troops were ‘out’ of Syria.

‘We are out of Syria other than we kept the oil. I kept the oil. We have troops guarding the oil. Other than that we are out of Syria,’ he said.  

Around 60,000 US troops are still deployed to the Middle East, even after 2,000 return from Iraq at the end of the month and as another 100 were sent to Syria Friday. 

As well as a growing threat from Islamic State, tensions have also been escalating between US troops and Russian forces in eastern Syria this year, including a recent vehicle collision that injured four American service members.  

In August, a Russian military vehicle deliberately rammed the vehicle the US troops were driving in following a tense high-speed confrontation near Dayrick, in northeast Syria.

The US service members were diagnosed with mild concussion-like symptoms following the incident.   

While there have been several other recent incidents between the American and Russian troops who all patrol in eastern Syria, officials described this one as the most serious.