Ammon News - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has left about 700 combat-equipped troops in Jordan after a training exercise there, at the request of the Jordanian government, President Barack Obama said on Friday.

With both countries keeping a wary eye on the civil war in Syria, Obama said in a letter to Congress that 700 of the troops deployed to Jordan as part of a training exercise will remain behind.

The exercise ended on Thursday. They will remain until the security situation becomes such that they are no longer needed, Obama said.

"This detachment that participated in the exercise and remained in Jordan includes Patriot missile systems, fighter aircraft, and related support, command, control, and communications personnel and systems," Obama said.