Foreign
PRESIDENT Donald Trump decided in a meeting with his national security team that U.S. troops will remain in Syria for an undetermined amount of, US media reported on Wednesday.
A senior administration official told newsmen that Trump made the decision during a meeting on Tuesday.
“But, he wasn’t thrilled about it, to say the least.
“The president made his displeasure clear about any kind of long-term presence in Syria,’’ the official added.
The media report said Trump came to the decision after Defense Secretary James Mattis and other top officials explained that a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops now would risk all the gains already made against the Islamic State.
On Tuesday, Trump said in a press conference he would make a decision soon about bringing U.S. troops home from Syria.
Recently, during a speech in the U.S. state of Ohio, Trump said the United States will bring home its troops from Syria “very soon” and let “the other people take care of it.”
Almost 2,000 U.S. troops are currently operating in Syria, though the Syrian government has not authorised their presence in the country.
Syria has been engulfed in a civil war since 2011, with numerous opposition factions and terrorist groups fighting the Syrian Army and government forces in an effort to topple the government of President Bashar Assad. (Sputnik/NAN)
– Apr. 4, 2018 @ 19:05 GMT
AE
Tags: Trump decides to keep U.S. troops in Syria for undetermined period – Reports
