(AP) Zeke Miller and Lolita C. Baldor - The White House said Sunday that U.S. forces in northeast Syria will move aside and clear the way for an expected Turkish assault. U.S. troops "will no longer be in the immediate area" in northern Syria, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said. There are about 1,000 U.S. troops in northern Syria, and a senior U.S. official said they will pull back from the area - and potentially depart the country entirely should widespread fighting break out between Turkish and Kurdish forces. The announcement followed a call between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Erdogan. The White House said Turkey will take custody of foreign fighters captured in the campaign against the Islamic State who have been held by Kurdish forces in Syria.
2019-10-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive