ZCZC
BFF-19
US-MILITARY-SYRIA-CONFLICT
US military removes some equipment from Syria: official
WASHINGTON, Jan 11, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The US military has removed some
equipment from Syria, a defense official confirmed Thursday, following a
report that the drawdown ordered by President Donald Trump is now underway.
“I can confirm the movement of equipment from Syria,” the official told
AFP. “For security reasons, I am not going to provide further details at this
time.”
Trump’s shock announcement on December 19 that he was withdrawing all 2,000
American troops from the conflict-wracked Middle Eastern country concerned
allies and prompted the resignation of his then defense chief Jim Mattis.
Since then, however, administration officials appear to have walked back
considerably and the current envisaged timetable is unclear.
The removal of the equipment in recent days was first reported by CNN,
which quoted an administration official with direct knowledge of the
operation as saying it signaled the beginning of US withdrawal from the
Middle Eastern country.
The official quoted by CNN would not describe exactly what the cargo was or
how it was being transported.
They also did not say what part of Syria it came from, though it is
expected the drawdown would begin in the country’s north.
The CNN report added that officials it had previously spoken to said the
Pentagon wants to signal to the president it is working towards his goals
following his withdrawal decision last month.
Though the removal of troops is not on the cards immediately, withdrawing
equipment is a means of showing progress towards this goal, it added.
On Sunday, National Security Adviser John Bolton set out stringent
conditions for the proposed withdrawal, saying the defense of allies must
first be assured.
“We’re going to be discussing the president’s decision to withdraw, but to
do so from northeast Syria in a way that makes sure that ISIS is defeated and
is not able to revive itself and become a threat again,” Bolton said when
meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Speaking in Egypt Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed the
troop pullout from Syria would go ahead as he urged Middle East nations to
forge a common stand against Tehran.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0916 hrs