SHADDADEH, Syria (AP) – Hundreds of American troops based in Syria have received Christmas gifts thanks to Operation Holiday Express.
This year, Santa’s sleigh and reindeer were apparently swapped for a workhorse CH-47 Chinook helicopter. But U.S.-led coalition forces from across the border in neighboring Iraq still donned jolly red caps while delivering the gifts.
The Associated Press was on hand as a military band was also flown in to play Christmas tunes for the troops Monday. President Donald Trump has said some of the roughly 1,000 American service members in Syria will stay to secure oil fields from any resurgence by the Islamic State group.
