Iraq News

US says to stay in Syria as long as Iran, but maybe not militarily

The US will stay in Syria as long as Iran maintains its presence, but the US role will not necessarily involve troops, a senior official said Thursday (September 27th), AFP reported.

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, US special representative on Syria James Jeffrey was clarifying recent comments by senior officials who appeared to suggest that troops would stay indefinitely to counter Iran.

Asked if President Donald Trump was making US withdrawal contingent on the removal of Iranian forces, Jeffrey said: "The president wants us in Syria until that and the other conditions are met."

But that does not necessarily mean "boots on the ground", he added.

"There are many ways that we can be on the ground. We are certainly on the ground diplomatically," he said, while adding that no options were definite.

"Boots on the ground have the current mission of the enduring defeat of the 'Islamic State of Iraq and Syria' (ISIS)," he said.

The US has some 2,000 troops in Syria.

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