Skip to main content

Intel: Attack on US troops throws Trump’s Syria plans into chaos

An image grab taken from a video obtained by AFPTV on January 16, 2019, shows US troops gathered at the scene of a suicide attack in the northern Syrian town of Manbij. - A suicide attack targeting US-led coalition forces in the flashpoint northern Syrian city of Manbij killed a US serviceman and 14 other people today, a monitor said. (Photo by - / various sources / AFP)        (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0463c1; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0463c1} The death of several Americans today in a suicide attack in the Kurdish-held Syrian city of Manbij has thrown another wrench into US plans for a rapid withdrawal from Syria. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack weeks after President Donald Trump touted the group’s alleged defeat as the impetus for his decision to pull US troops out of Syria.

Why it matters: News of the attack further complicates debate inside the Trump administration on the timing for plans to withdraw 2,200 US troops from Syria. In a brief statement, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, “The President has been fully briefed and we will continue to monitor the ongoing situation in Syria.”

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.