US has no intention to stay in Syria

The United States has no intention of staying in Syria after defeating the Daesh terrorist organisation, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Friday, denying a report that US forces will remain there for decades.

Nauert said:

Our overall mission is to defeat [Daesh], whether it’s in Iraq or in Syria. That is our intent – to defeat [Daesh] and not do anything more than that

Nauert was responding to a question at a press briefing about a Syrian Democratic Force (SDF) spokesman’s claim that the US will remain in Syria long after Daesh is defeated.

Is Donald Trump to Raqqa and Mosul what Assad was to Aleppo?

“We want Syria governed by Syrians, not by the United States, not by any other forces, but by Syrians,” she added.

The US has supported the PKK/PYD – considered by Turkey as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organisation – along with several other Arab militia groups under the umbrella of the SDF, long vexing Ankara.

The US views the SDF as a “reliable partner” in its fight against Daesh and continues to provide it with arms and equipment against strong objections by Turkey.

US General told Syria’s YPG: ‘You have got to change your brand’

Daesh flag [SpuntnikInt/Twitter]