WASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) - The number of Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq is lower than at any time in the past two years, Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a U.S. Senate hearing on Tuesday.

"In fact, we assess Daesh's (Islamic State's) numbers are the lowest they've been since we began monitoring their manpower in 2014," Blinken said in testimony prepared for the Appropriations subcommittee hearing. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by James Dalgleish)

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