Israeli media: Trump intends to withdraw US forces from Syria, Tel Aviv is worried

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation revealed on Tuesday evening that senior officials in the White House conveyed a message to their Israeli counterparts stating that President Donald Trump wants to withdraw thousands of American troops from Syria.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation explained that the withdrawal of US forces from Syria will cause great concern in Tel Aviv, and it is expected that this step will also affect the Kurdish units in Syria, according to the source.

In contrast, a Pentagon official said that his forces are committed to defeating ISIS and continuing to support the "Syrian Democratic Forces" and combating terrorism.

The Washington Post reported a few days ago that about 2,000 American soldiers are still in eastern Syria, cooperating with Syrian Kurdish forces in a mission that, according to American officials, aims to prevent the return of the Islamic State and limit Iranian influence in Syria. However, the future of this presence has become in doubt, because Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has expressed its desire to see all foreign forces leave.

US President Donald Trump had tried to withdraw all troops from Syria in 2018 during his first term, prompting former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign.

As the military operations department led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham advanced against the forces of the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad - last month - and reached control of the capital, Damascus, Trump posted on social media that the US military needed to stay out of the conflict.

Syrian factions took control of the capital Damascus on December 8, ending 61 years of Baath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family rule. The United States and Turkey are seeking to enhance cooperation to ensure Syria’s stability during the transitional period, with a focus on preventing any security threats.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led and dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), control large areas of northeastern Syria and part of Deir ez-Zor Governorate (east), especially the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. These areas are subject to the so-called self-administration established by the Kurdish units after the withdrawal of the Assad regime forces from a large part of them following the outbreak of the revolution in 2011.

In parallel with the Military Operations Administration launching a surprise attack on November 27 from its stronghold in northwestern Syria that allowed it to overthrow Assad’s rule, Turkish-backed Syrian factions launched an attack against Kurdish units that were forced to withdraw from some areas under their control.

Ankara considers the Kurdish units an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has been waging an insurgency against it for decades, and classifies it as a "terrorist" organization.

Turkey has threatened to launch a military operation against the Kurdish-led forces, prompting the United States to launch a wide-ranging diplomatic effort to avoid a major confrontation amid the ongoing fighting.

Source: Al Jazeera + Al Jazeera + Agencies + Israeli Press