US 'not increasing' role in Syrian civil war: Mattis

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis stressed today that America is not getting more involved in Syria's civil war, after the US-led coalition struck a pro- regime convoy heading for toward a remote coalition garrison.

"We are not increasing our role in the Syrian civil war, but we will defend our troops," Mattis said.

"We will defend ourselves (if) people take aggressive steps against us. And that's been a going-in policy of ours for a long time.