The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) described the White House decision to withdraw the American army from areas of northern Syria as a “stab in the back”, while US President Donald Trump justified his decision to withdraw the forces by saying that “it is time for us to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars.” He described his country’s support for the SDF as costing “massive amounts of money.”
On Monday, the US president said in a series of tweets, regarding the US decision to pull out of the regions in northern Syria, that: ““The Kurds fought with us, but were paid massive amounts of money and equipment to do so. They have been fighting Turkey for decades.” He said that “Turkey, Europe, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Russia and the Kurds will now have to … figure the situation out.”
Trump said that it was time for his country to get out of the “ridiculous Endless Wars” as justification for withdrawing his country’s forces from parts of northern Syria, which began today hours after a phone call Trump carried out with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In parallel, the SDF said that the statements issued by the United States on Monday that American forces would not intervene in the expected Turkish operation in northern Syria were a “stab in the back.”
Kino Jibril, SDF spokesman, said in an interview with Al-Hadath TV that, “there had been reassurances by the United States that they would not allow any Turkish military operation against the region.” He added that his forces had “fully” complied with the “security mechanism” agreement for the Turkish-Syrian border regions.
Jibril said: “But the (American) statement issued today was a surprise and we could say a stab in the back for the Syrian Democratic Forces.”
On Monday developments accelerated quickly with regards to the military operation, which Turkey has vowed in the eastern Euphrates for weeks. Washington announced the withdrawal of its forces from two American military bases in Ras al-Ayn in northwestern Hassakeh and Tel Abyad north of Raqqa, at a time when it has said that it will not participate in the Turkish military operation, which is seen as a lack of objection by the Trump administration for the Turkish military operation to begin.
American forces have actually begun to withdraw from the Tel Arqam base in Ras al-Ayn according to photos published by activists on social media, and from another American military point near Tel Abyad on the border with Turkey.
On Friday, Erdogan said that the date was approaching for the military operation, which his country wants to carry out, in the eastern Euphrates.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
