WASHINGTON: The United States is poised to move about 1,000 US troops from northern Syria amid an ongoing Turkish incursion into the region, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Sunday, calling the situation “untenable” for US forces.

The pull-back of troops from the region dovetails with President Donald Trump’s long-standing desire for the United States to extract itself from foreign conflicts. It comes after Trump a week ago withdrew some US troops deployed to support Kurdish forces in the fight against the militant Islamic State group.

That decision, which came under heavy fire from fellow Republicans and allies, helped open the door for Turkey to launch an offensive against the US-backed Kurdish forces, part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who have been America’s most capable partners in quashing IS.

“In the last 24 hours, we learned that [the Turks] likely intend to extend their attack further south than originally planned, and to the west,” Esper said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “We also have learned in the last 24 hours that the ... SDF are looking to cut a deal, if you will, with the Syrians and the Russians to counterattack against the Turks in the north.”

Esper said he spoke with Trump on Saturday night, and that the president directed the US military to “begin a deliberate withdrawal of forces from northern Syria.” US officials had spent the last week ramping up pressure on Turkey to halt the assault on Syria and the Kurdish fighters that it considers a threat to national security. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Friday said sanctions against Ankara were all ready should the president choose to make good on his threat to obliterate Turkey’s economy.

Turkey’s offensive has raised alarm bells around the world amid concerns about its impact on civilians and the possibility of IS militants escaping from Kurdish-led authorities.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2019