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About 80,000 US servicemen present in Europe within NATO forces — Biden

The President of the United States also announced that 2.6 thousand troops are deployed in Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON, June 8. /TASS/. About 80,000 US servicemen are currently present in Europe within NATO forces, US President Joe Biden said in a letter sent to the Congress Thursday.

"Approximately 80,000 United States Armed Forces personnel are assigned or deployed to North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries in Europe, including those deployed to reassure our allies and to deter further Russian aggression," the document says. It also specifies that 591 US servicemen were assigned to NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR), which currently includes 3,800 personnel.

He also stated the goal of US forces’ presence in the Arabian Peninsula Region: 2,657 US servicemen have been deployed in Saudi Arabia "to protect United States forces and interests in the region against hostile action by Iran and Iran-backed groups." These forces operate in coordination with Riyadh and provide air and missile defense capabilities and support the operation of US military aircraft.

About 2,900 US servicemen have been deployed in Jordan to combat the ISIS terror group (outlawed in Russia). A total of 89 US servicemen aid in combating terrorism under request of the Lebanese government. US forces have also been deployed in Turkey and Yemen to combat ISIS, but their numbers have not been disclosed in the letter.

The US President separately mentioned US military operations in Sudan that were supposed to provide evacuation to US nationals.

"As reported on April 23, 2023, I directed United States Armed Forces personnel to conduct an operation to evacuate United States [diplomatic] personnel and others from Khartoum, Sudan, in response to the deteriorating security situation in Sudan," the letter says.

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