US navy poised to slash troops in Syr
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON, – The U.S. navy is ready to consolidate its presence in Syria over the approaching weeks and months, two U.S. officers informed Reuters on Tuesday, in a transfer that would scale back the variety of troops it has within the nation by half.
The U.S. navy has about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria throughout numerous bases, principally within the northeast. The troops are working with native forces to forestall a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized massive swathes of Iraq and Syria however was later pushed again.
One of many officers, talking on situation of anonymity, mentioned that consolidation might scale back the variety of troops in Syria to about 1,000.
One other U.S. official confirmed the plan for a discount, however mentioned there was no certainty on numbers and was skeptical of a lower of that scale at a time when President Donald Trump’s administration has been negotiating with Iran and increase forces within the area.
America has lately despatched plane together with B-2 bombers, warships and air protection programs to strengthen the Center East.
Trump mentioned on Monday that he believes Iran is deliberately delaying a nuclear cope with the USA and that it should abandon any drive for a nuclear weapon or face a attainable navy strike on Tehran’s atomic amenities.
In the meantime, U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth is finishing up a worldwide assessment of U.S. navy troops around the globe.
The Islamist-led authorities in Syria that took over after Bashar Assad was ousted in December has sought to rebuild Syria’s ties within the area and additional afield.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the U.S., final month signed a cope with Damascus on merging Kurdish-led governing our bodies and safety forces with the central authorities.
The U.S. gave Syria a listing in March of circumstances to meet in trade for partial sanctions aid however the Trump administration has in any other case engaged little with the nation’s new rulers.
Some White Home officers have been eager to take a extra hardline stance, pointing to the brand new Syrian management’s former ties to Al-Qaeda as motive to maintain engagement to a minimal.
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