Washington: President Donald Trump on Tuesday told the Senators that he 100 per cent agrees with the decision to keep the US military in Syria.
On February 22, “a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives” lauded President Trump’s decision to keep a section of the US troops in Syria to ensuring stability in the region and prevent the return of ISIS (Islamic State).
“We support a small American stabilizing force in Syria. We agree that a stabilizing force, which includes a small contingent of American troops and ground forces from our European allies, is essential to ensure stability and prevent the return of ISIS. It also serves to help set the table for a negotiated settlement to the Syrian war in Geneva,” read a copy of the letter obtained by NBC News.
“Like you, we seek to ensure that all of the gains made in Syria are not lost, that ISIS never returns, that Iran is not emboldened, and that we consolidate our gains and ensure the best outcome in Geneva for American interests,” the lawmakers noted.
In response to this letter, President Trump said, “I agree 100 per cent. ALL is being done.”
Quoting sources, Xinhua reported that the US military would leave around 400 troops in two different regions of Syria.
According to the White House official, half of them would join the multinational force of roughly 800 to 1,500 troops deployed in north-eastern Syria to maintain a buffer between Turkey and the US-backed Kurdish forces. The rest 200 troops would stay at its base in al-Tanf, near the Syrian border with Iraq and Jordan.
Late last month, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed that some US troops will stay in Syria after the Syrian Democratic Forces finish clearing out Baghuz.
“A small peacekeeping group of about 200 will remain in Syria for a period of time,” Sanders said in a statement.
The US President’s impulsive decision to withdraw troops from Syria was announced on December 19 last year, after declaring the ISIS to have been fully ‘destroyed’, created a rift between him and the US military.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]