Top U.S. General: Iran Has 1,000 Troops In Iraq. Less Than 2,000 in Syria

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman USMC General Joseph Dunford, Jr. looks at his notes before testifying at a Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing on 'United States Strategy in the Middle East' in Washington October 27, 2015. REUTERS/GARY CAMERON

Reuters: Iran has over 1,000 troops in Iraq, less than 2,000 in Syria: U.S. general

Washington believes there are fewer than 2,000 Iranian troops in Syria helping the forces of President Bashar al-Assad and more than 1,000 in Iraq supporting the Baghdad government, the top U.S. military officer said on Tuesday.

Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the number of Iranian forces in Iraq had fluctuated over time.

"I think there's more than 1,000 that are on the ground in Iraq," Dunford said. "In Syria, we think the numbers are probably something less than 2,000."

WNU Editor:  It looks like Iran is increasing their deployment of soldiers .... Official: Iran has sent more military advisers to Syria (AP)