Le Drian: France still unclear over US Syria plans

Le Drian: France still unclear over US Syria plans
France, one of the main contributors to the fight against ISIS in the Middle East, has received no answers to questions about US calls for it and others to help secure northeastern Syria, its foreign minister said on Wednesday (March 20), Reuters reported.

Defence Minister Florence Parly was in Washington on Monday aiming to get details from US officials over an idea to set up and observe a safe zone being negotiated for northeastern Syria.

That followed US President Donald Trump’s decision in December to withdraw the bulk of his 2,000 troops in Syria after the defeat of ISIS militants.

“Mrs Parly went to the United States to start talking to the Americans and try to get answers to various questions: If by chance the American military presence would be maintained? What would be the contours of its presence? What would be the mission? What would be the capabilities?” Le Drian said.

“We do not have these answers yet. It is on the basis of information that we don’t have yet that President (Macron) will determine the possibility of a French contribution.”

Le Drian said ISIS’ last Syrian pocket in Baghouz would fall imminently, but that militants were now going underground and fleeing to other countries, including Afghanistan.

We can’t envisage abandoning those that were our allies fighting ISIS on the ground, Le Drian said, referring to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Since Trump made his announcement, advisers have convinced the US president to leave about 400 US troops, split between two different regions of Syria.

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