The growing threat of the Islamic State in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is prompting the Pentagon to consider withdrawing the small contingent of U.S. forces there.
Top U.S. military brass are weighing whether to relocate the roughly 700 U.S. service members at the El-Ghora base in the northern part of the peninsula to positions further south, according to CNN.
The move would make the contingent of U.S. troops less susceptible potential attacks by Islamic State’s Egyptian faction and other extremist groups operating on the peninsula, located 169 miles east of Cairo.
The Obama administration is reportedly discussing details of the possible shift with Egypt and Israel, CNN reports.
U.S. forces were deployed to the Sinai as part of a Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) mission, designed to monitor compliance of the peace deal struck between Cairo and Tel Aviv in 1979.
Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis declined to comment on the potential move, telling AFP that Washington remains “fully committed to the objective of the …mission and the maintenance of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.”
“We are in continuous contact with the MFO and adjust force protection capabilities as conditions warrant,” he added.
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