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Trump Sends Congress Report on US Strategy in Syria - Letter

© AFP 2023 / Mladen AntonovThe US Congress building is seen at dusk on the eve of a possible government shutdown as Congress battles out the budget in Washington, DC, September 30, 2013.
The US Congress building is seen at dusk on the eve of a possible government shutdown as Congress battles out the budget in Washington, DC, September 30, 2013. - Sputnik International
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump in a letter to congressional leaders said he has submitted a report as required by law related to the administration’s strategy in Syria.

"I have enclosed a report describing the United States Strategy for Syria", Trump said in a letter released by the White House on Monday.

The letter, dated 22 February, was addressed to the chairmen of the US House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations panel.

READ MORE:  Russia, US Maintain Consultations on Syria Along With Military Contacts – Lavrov

Trump said the move was in accordance with section 1221 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 and 1231 of the 2019 NDAA. As released to the press, the letter contained no details with respect to the strategy.

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Trump declared he had decided to pull out troops from Syria in December 2018, promising to bring around 3,000 US soldiers home. The reason for the move, he explained, was the defeat of the Daesh terrorist group in Syria.

Last week, the White House said it would leave around 400 personnel in Syria after the United States withdraws most US troops. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said about 200 of those troops would remain as part of a small peacekeeping force.

The US forces have been operating in Syria as part of an international coalition without the authorization of the Middle Eastern country’s government or the UN Security Council. Moreover, Washington has been supporting the Kurdish-led militia controlling the territories to the east of the Euphrates and opposing the Syrian government.

READ MORE: Iranian FM Not Ruling Out Military Action Against Militants in Syria's Idlib

Syrian President Bashar Assad has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to overthrow the country's leadership and providing support to anti-government militants.

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Meanwhile, US State Department has said that Washington was pulling out forces from Syria in a coordinated manner and there are no timelines to discuss at the moment.

Chief of Staff to Iraqi Prime Minister Abdulkarim Hashim Mostafa told Sputnik earlier the United States would withdraw its forces from Syria through Iraqi territory by 1 April. A Pentagon spokesperson, however, did not confirm the Iraqi official's statement when asked by Sputnik.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

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