Donald Trump orders full withdrawal of US troops from Syria, declaring ‘victory’ over Islamic State and startling Pentagon
- The Pentagon is said to be working quickly to carry out the unexpected order from US President Donald Trump
- Withdrawal is a sharp reversal of US policy, leaving Kurdish allies at the mercy or Turkish forces
US President Donald Trump declared victory over Islamic State and ordered a withdrawal of US forces from Syria in a sharp reversal of American policy that appeared to take the Pentagon by surprise.
“We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,” Trump said Wednesday morning on Twitter.
The US military is working to quickly carry out Trump’s order, according to one official with knowledge of the plan. But it wasn’t clear how soon the approximately 2,000 troops would be coming home and what the president’s decision would mean for vulnerable Kurdish allies that they have supported.
In a White House statement later in the morning, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said America has “started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign,” although she didn’t comment on the pace of that withdrawal. “The United States and our allies stand ready to re-engage at all levels to defend American interests whenever necessary,” she added.
A precipitous withdrawal could leave America’s Kurdish allies at the mercy of Turkish troops who have long wanted to pursue forces they view as terrorists.
A US departure also would leave Russia and Iran, allies of President Bashar al-Assad, unchecked as prime influences in Syria.
As recently as last week, administration officials disputed the idea that Islamic State is defeated and suggested US involvement would continue.