President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria has rattled Washington’s Kurdish allies, who are its most reliable partner in Syria and among the most effective ground forces battling the Islamic State group. “The war against terrorism has not ended and (the Islamic State group) has not been defeated,” the statement said. With U.S. air support, the Kurds drove IS from much of northern and eastern Syria in a costly four-year campaign. In northeastern Syria, Kurdish fighters have been digging trenches and defensive tunnels, preparing for the threatened Turkish offensive. The U.S. began airstrikes against IS in Syria in 2014 and later sent in ground troops to aid Kurdish forces.

Source: Washington Post December 20, 2018 09:08 UTC