Trump desires withdrawal of US troops from Syria, reports say
According to a report by the Kan broadcaster, Israel has expressed concerns regarding Washington’s plan. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Israeli broadcaster Kan has reported that West Jerusalem is concerned about Washington’s plans regarding US troop withdrawals.
According to the report, White House officials delivered a message to Israel indicating that US President Donald Trump is contemplating the withdrawal of American troops from Syria. This plan “is raising grave concerns” in Israel, as stated by the media outlet in a Tuesday article.
Additionally, there are apprehensions among Kurdish armed groups in Syria regarding potential aggression from Türkiye should the American withdrawal take place. The Kurds, who have been assisting the US in the fight against Islamic State, are viewed as terrorists by Ankara.
Following the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government in early December, the Israel Defense Forces moved further into Syria, particularly in the occupied Golan Heights area. Concurrently, Türkiye, which has connections with Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham and other militant factions that played roles in toppling Assad, ordered its troops to advance into northeastern Syria.
Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that “aggressive actions” by Israel in Syria “must come to an end as soon as possible.”
Russia has been supporting the Assad administration in its battle against militants since the mid-2010s and currently maintains two military bases in Syria: the Khmeimim airfield and the Tartus naval base. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned earlier this week that Moscow was in discussions with Syria’s new authorities regarding the future of these facilities, but no agreements have been finalized.
The US deployed troops to Syria a decade ago without the authorization of the Syrian government, citing the fight against IS as justification; however, they have since occupied areas in northeastern Syria that are rich in oil fields.
Last month, the Pentagon revealed that approximately 2,000 US servicemen were stationed in Syria, which is around 1,100 more than previously reported figures indicated.
Trump had previously ordered a partial withdrawal of US troops during his first term, but this action was never fully realized. The Assad government, along with Moscow, has consistently characterized the American presence in Syria as “illegal,” given that it lacks the approval of Damascus, and has urged the US contingent to leave the occupied regions.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to the report, White House officials delivered a message to Israel indicating that US President Donald Trump is contemplating the withdrawal of American troops from Syria. This plan “is raising grave concerns” in Israel, as stated by the media outlet in a Tuesday article.
Additionally, there are apprehensions among Kurdish armed groups in Syria regarding potential aggression from Türkiye should the American withdrawal take place. The Kurds, who have been assisting the US in the fight against Islamic State, are viewed as terrorists by Ankara.
Following the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government in early December, the Israel Defense Forces moved further into Syria, particularly in the occupied Golan Heights area. Concurrently, Türkiye, which has connections with Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham and other militant factions that played roles in toppling Assad, ordered its troops to advance into northeastern Syria.
Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that “aggressive actions” by Israel in Syria “must come to an end as soon as possible.”
Russia has been supporting the Assad administration in its battle against militants since the mid-2010s and currently maintains two military bases in Syria: the Khmeimim airfield and the Tartus naval base. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned earlier this week that Moscow was in discussions with Syria’s new authorities regarding the future of these facilities, but no agreements have been finalized.
The US deployed troops to Syria a decade ago without the authorization of the Syrian government, citing the fight against IS as justification; however, they have since occupied areas in northeastern Syria that are rich in oil fields.
Last month, the Pentagon revealed that approximately 2,000 US servicemen were stationed in Syria, which is around 1,100 more than previously reported figures indicated.
Trump had previously ordered a partial withdrawal of US troops during his first term, but this action was never fully realized. The Assad government, along with Moscow, has consistently characterized the American presence in Syria as “illegal,” given that it lacks the approval of Damascus, and has urged the US contingent to leave the occupied regions.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
