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| Turkey Syria offensive: Some US troops to stay, says Trump | Turkey Syria offensive: Some US troops to stay, says Trump |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| US President Donald Trump says some American troops will stay on in Syria despite his call for them to be pulled out. | US President Donald Trump says some American troops will stay on in Syria despite his call for them to be pulled out. |
| He said a small number would protect oil fields while others would stay near Israel and Jordan. | He said a small number would protect oil fields while others would stay near Israel and Jordan. |
| His decision two weeks ago to withdraw US forces from the Syria-Turkey border region drew criticism even from some of his supporters. | His decision two weeks ago to withdraw US forces from the Syria-Turkey border region drew criticism even from some of his supporters. |
| Soon after Turkey launched an offensive against former US allies the Kurds. | Soon after Turkey launched an offensive against former US allies the Kurds. |
| The US president again defended his decision to withdraw, amid accusations he has betrayed Kurdish-led forces who have been an important partner in the battle against Islamic State. | The US president again defended his decision to withdraw, amid accusations he has betrayed Kurdish-led forces who have been an important partner in the battle against Islamic State. |
| "Why should we put our soldiers in the midst of two large groups, hundreds of thousands potentially of people, that are fighting? I don't think so," he said. "I got elected on bringing our soldiers back home." | "Why should we put our soldiers in the midst of two large groups, hundreds of thousands potentially of people, that are fighting? I don't think so," he said. "I got elected on bringing our soldiers back home." |
| But Mr Trump also said the US had been asked by Israel and Jordan to leave a small number of troops in "a totally different section of Syria". | But Mr Trump also said the US had been asked by Israel and Jordan to leave a small number of troops in "a totally different section of Syria". |
| In another part of the country he said US forces were needed to "secure the oil". | In another part of the country he said US forces were needed to "secure the oil". |
| Turkey moved against Kurdish-led forces in Syria with the aim of pushing them away from northern Syria and create a "safe zone" for resettling up to two million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey. | Turkey moved against Kurdish-led forces in Syria with the aim of pushing them away from northern Syria and create a "safe zone" for resettling up to two million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey. |
| Up to 300,000 people are reported to have fled their homes since the fighting started. | Up to 300,000 people are reported to have fled their homes since the fighting started. |
| A ceasefire is currently in place to allow for the withdrawal of Kurdish-led forces from the area but is set to run out at 2200 local time (1900 GMT) on Tuesday. | |
| Mr Trump has not ruled out the possibility of an extension. | Mr Trump has not ruled out the possibility of an extension. |
| In a separate development, three current and former defence officials told NBC that the Pentagon has begun drawing up plans for a quick withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan in the event that Mr Trump orders an immediate withdrawal as he did with Syria. | In a separate development, three current and former defence officials told NBC that the Pentagon has begun drawing up plans for a quick withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan in the event that Mr Trump orders an immediate withdrawal as he did with Syria. |
| Mr Trump has been heavily criticised over his decision to remove US forces from Syria. | Mr Trump has been heavily criticised over his decision to remove US forces from Syria. |
| The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to condemn the president's withdrawal of troops, with both Democrats and Mr Trump's fellow Republicans approving the measure. | The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to condemn the president's withdrawal of troops, with both Democrats and Mr Trump's fellow Republicans approving the measure. |
| In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Republican Mitch McConnell said it was a "strategic mistake". | In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Republican Mitch McConnell said it was a "strategic mistake". |