Pentagon: Up to 1,000 U.S. Troops to Withdraw from Northern Syria

Washington (AFP) – The Pentagon said Sunday President Donald Trump had ordered the withdrawal of up to 1,000 troops from northern Syria — almost the entire ground force in war-torn country — amid an intensifying Turkish assault on Kurdish forces.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the move came after the US learned that Turkey was pressing further into Syria than had been expected.

And the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are seeking a deal with the Syrian regime and Russia to counter-attack against the Turks in the north, Esper added.

“We find ourselves as we have American forces likely caught between two opposing advancing armies and it’s a very untenable situation,” Esper told CBS’s Face the Nation.

“So I spoke with the president last night after discussions with the rest of the national security team and he directed that we begin a deliberate withdrawal of forces from northern Syria.”

Breaking: Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Routh Learns His Sentence

Border czar Tom Homan calls anti-ICE roadblocks in Minneapolis a ‘joke’ after police chief disbands them

Supreme Court shuts down California GOP bid to block Newsom’s new map

Watch: Scott Bessent Has Perfect Response When Maxine Waters Says ‘Shut Him Up’ During Hearing

Trump to conduct pre-game Super Bowl interview with NBC after playing hooky in 2018

Nicki Minaj cites higher suicide risks for opposition to transgender surgeries for minors

Trump Wins Again: Final Epstein Docs Nail Huge Dems, Dem Supporters, and Anti-Trumpers – Here Are the Top 7 (Plus 5 Smug Leftist Celebs from the Earlier Docs)

Trump speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on range of issues including Russia-Ukraine war

Trump’s Iran threats face ‘Obama red line’ test as White House pivots to diplomacy

Afghan national accused in DC National Guard shooting pleads not guilty, prosecutors may seek death penalty

Alert: Mitch McConnell, 83, Has Been Hospitalized According to His Office

Ohio woman convicted in shooting of bystander during New Year’s love triangle dispute

Former Capitol Police officer running for Congress in different district than failed 2024 bid

Federal judge grills DOJ lawyers over censure of Democratic senator

Video: Joy Behar Compares Cities Church to Dachau Concentration Camp Where Jews Were Frozen Alive – Single Most Evil Thing Ever Said on ‘The View’

Esper said he was unable to provide a timeline because of the rapidly changing situation on the ground, but added that the withdrawal would be carried out in a “very safe, deliberate manner.”

“Look it’s a very terrible situation over there. A situation caused by the Turks… Despite our opposition they decided to make this incursion into Syria,” Esper told CBS.

“And at this point in time in the last 24 hours we learned that they likely intend to expand their attack further south than originally planned and to the west

“We also have learned in the last 24 hours that the… SDF are looking to cut a deal, if you will, with the Syrians and the Russians to counter-attack against the Turks in the north.”

– ‘Immediate defensive action’ –

Asked if troops would be leaving the country altogether, Esper clarified that the withdrawal was just from northern Syria, “which is where most of our forces are.”