More than 400 U.S. troops to withdraw from Syria

More than 400 U.S. Marines and their artillery are leaving Syria after helping to capture the city of Raqqa from Islamic State, the U.S.-led coalition fighting the militant group said on Thursday.

Marine units have been deployed since March to provide artillery support to an alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters battling the jihadist group.

Last month, U.S.-backed militias declared victory in Raqqa, Islamic State’s former headquarters in Syria, after months of fighting with the help of the U.S.-led coalition.

The US-led coalition against IS said the withdrawal of the Marine artillery battery was a "sign of real progress".