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"They are scattered and disaggregated, but there are leaders, fighters there, facilitators there," General Joseph Votel told reporters during his farewell tour of the Middle East.
Votel's comments underscore the testimony of National Intelligence Director Dan Coats in front of Congress, an badessment that President Donald Trump has publicly disapproved of.
The statements, however, come as US-backed fighters are fighting in the last region of Syria, where the Islamic State still controls the territory.
"I am very proud of the coalition force team we have on the ground, which is badisting our partners in the Syrian democratic force in difficult battles," said Votel. "Urban land, high density of explosion risks in the area, and presence of displaced people and other people trying to leave the area."
He added that in the past 24 hours, operations have resumed in the Middle Euphrates Valley and are underway.
US officials believe that scattered fighters could be in a vast expanse of the Syrian Desert.
For now, Votel was convinced that all American troops would leave Syria, but he did not want to post a deadline for the completion of the work.
"The president's orders are very clear to us – we understand exactly what he's headed," Votel said.
However, he also notes that the US military will also continue to look for ways to keep up the pressure on ISIS and support SDFs without ground troops in Syria. He declined to say how that could be accomplished.
Votel retires after 39 years in the US Army.
Katie Bernard from CNN contributed to this report.
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