A fighter of the Syrian Defence Forces during the battle to drive Isis out of Raqqa in 2017. President Trump says there is no further need for American forces to remain in Syria GETTY IMAGESIn a dramatic volte-face, President Trump has ordered the immediate withdrawal of American troops from eastern Syria and declared victory in the fight against Islamic State. The White House said that the war on Isis was moving to a “next phase”. “These victories over Isis in Syria do not signal the end of the global coalition or its campaign,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, said. “We have started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign.”President Trump effectively confirmed the news, tweeting: “We have defeated Isis in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency.”However, the decision was already causing widespread consternation in both political and military circles.

Source: The Times December 19, 2018 17:03 UTC