Syria troop withdrawal under way, says US-led coalition
"Trump slows Syria pullout but claims 'hero' status"
Combined Joint Task Force spokesman confirms pullout has begun but gives no details
Agence France-Presse
Fri 11 Jan 2019 04.39 EST Last modified on Fri 11 Jan 2019 05.28 EST
A convoy of US military vehicles travels through the northern city of Manbi. Photograph: Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images
The US-led military coalition in Syria .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/syria .. has begun withdrawing troops, a spokesman has said, without elaborating on locations or timetables.
Col Sean Ryan told Agence France-Presse in a statement: “Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve has begun the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria.
“Out of concern for operational security, we will not discuss specific timelines, locations or troops movements.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the coalition had started reducing its presence at Rmelan airfield in the north-eastern province of Hasakah.
Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the UK-based monitoring organisation, said some US forces withdrew from the Rmelan military base on Thursday.
Last month, Donald Trump said he had ordered the withdrawal of all US forces from Syria, where there are believed to be about American 2,000 troops.
Friday’s announcement signalled the first such withdrawal since the president’s announcement, Rahman said.
Trump’s announcement, which followed a phone call with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was criticised even within his own camp and is already having significant repercussions on the almost eight-year conflict.
Trump team's varied statements on the withdrawal have seeded confusion and uncertainty among our allies. Pompeo says US with not withdraw until ISIS is defeated. Withdrawal has begun.
US begins withdrawing some military equipment from Syria
By Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon Correspondent
Updated 7:47 PM ET, Thu January 10, 2019 Pompeo: No contradiction on Syria withdrawl
VIDEO - 2:11 Source: CNN Pompeo: No contradiction on Syria withdrawl 02:11
(CNN)The first US military ground equipment has been withdrawn from Syria in recent days, signaling the beginning of the drawdown ordered by President Donald Trump, according to an administration official with direct knowledge of the operation.
"Some cargo has already moved," the official told CNN.
Due to security concerns, the official would not describe exactly what the cargo was or whether it had been moved out by aircraft or ground vehicles. The official also would not say what part of Syria the equipment was in, although it's widely expected the drawdown will begin in northern Syria.
Officials have previously told CNN to expect to see discussion of percentages of equipment withdrawn as a way of meeting Trump's intent -- even though it's expected that no troops are coming out immediately. Senior officials like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton have declined to put a timeline on when troops would be withdrawn.
The Defense Department wants to show progress to Trump, and these withdrawals are a way to do it. Earlier this week, the Pentagon said in a statement that "out of concern for operational security, we will not be discussing specific troop movements or timelines, but we do expect to provide a periodic update on progress regarding percentages of equipment removed from Syria."
US Central Command, which is overseeing the withdrawal operation, has identified ships, aircraft and ground units that will be used in the operation. They will provide intelligence and reconnaissance as withdrawals occur, securing forces and heavy ground transport vehicles. Most of the necessary assets are already in the region.
The military is carrying out the withdrawal under an order signed by former Defense Secretary James Mattis just before he left office December 31. Military planners are still working on the basis that all troops will be withdrawn from Syria. If there changes to that, such as leaving troops in eastern and southern Syria, Trump would have to approve those specific details, the official said. https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/10/politics/us-withdrawal-equipment-syria/index.html
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