White House says anti-IS fight in Syria ‘coming to rapid end’
The White House signaled that its mission in Syria will be focused on the narrow task of finishing off the Islamic State and will leave it to others to fund and conduct post-IS stabilization.
WASHINGTON — A day after President Donald Trump said he wanted to bring US troops home from Syria, the White House announced that the US-led coalition will complete its mission to eradicate the so-called Islamic State in Syria and then leave it largely to allies and partners to fund and conduct stabilization efforts to ensure that the militant group does not return.
The announcement reflected a decision by Trump to narrow the US military goal in Syria largely to a counterterrorism mission, after his administration had earlier said it would keep an extended US troop presence in Syria to also counter the Iranian presence there and give leverage to stalled talks on a Syria political settlement. The United States has approximately 2,000 US troops in Syria, largely to battle the Islamic State, often abbreviated IS but also as ISIS.
“The military mission to eradicate ISIS in Syria is coming to a rapid end, with ISIS being almost completely destroyed,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee said in a written statement today.
“The United States and our partners remain committed to eliminating the small ISIS presence in Syria that our forces have not already eradicated,” the White House statement continued. “We will continue to consult with our allies and friends regarding future plans. We expect countries in the region and beyond, plus the United Nations, to work toward peace and ensure that ISIS never re-emerges.”
