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.”

Inside the behemoth Smithsonian museum network drawing fire from the Trump administration

Vulnerable Democrat warns party to ‘fight back’ against growing socialist movement

New Mexico woman’s bodycam confession about hiding newborn baby in hospital garbage tossed by state court

Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Parents left in the dark, Trump starving socialist breeding grounds

Democratic socialist headed for $142K legislature salary begs for rent handout, deletes post after backlash

Multiple people killed in shooting at Idaho In-N-Out restaurant, suspect dead

ICE arrests illegal immigrant accused of rape, multiple sex crimes after release from Maryland jail

Father of 10-year-old boy breaks silence after viral beach rescue: ‘No way I could ever repay him’

Trump says he ‘disagrees 100%’ with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro over Reflecting Pool case

Assisted living sent resident to doctor’s appointment after giving him 18 shots, 5 am beer: officials

Mamdani extends deadline for NYC homeowners to seek exemption from new pied-à-terre tax

DSA candidate pushes federal AI data center moratorium with Michigan early voting underway

Trump immigration agenda faces setback as Obama-appointed judge issues fresh TPS stay

Israeli president says Palestinian peace ‘requires’ acceptance of Israel in warning against Mamdani

New Christian Persecution Report Shows Most Dangerous Countries on Earth for Believing in Jesus

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.”