President Obama has decided to send up to 250 military personnel to Syria to help local forces fighting the Islamic State group.

That’s the word from a senior administration official who says Obama would announce his decision during a speech Monday in Germany at the close of a weeklong foreign trip.

Countering the Islamic State group was a focus of Obama’s talks with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Britain and Germany.

The move would significantly increase the U.S. presence in a country beset by civil war.


About 50 U.S. special operations forces are already operating in Syria. It was unknown how many of the 250 additional personnel will be special forces.

The administration official was not authorized to publicly discuss Obama’s decision before his announcement.

Obama’s decision was first reported Sunday by the Wall Street Journal.