The US does not plan to stay in Syria forever, but the timing of the withdrawal of troops from this country is not defined, the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Kenneth McKenzie said.
"I don't know how long we will be in Syria, but obviously we won't be there forever. At some point, we will need to leave. This will be a political decision, and we are ready to implement this order when it comes," McKenzie said at a video conference at the Middle East Institute in Washington.
The United States and its allies have been conducting operations against ISIS* in Syria and Iraq since 2014, and they are operating in Syria without the permission of the country's official authorities. The authorities in Damascus call these actions occupation and consider the true reason for the presence of American troops in the country control of oil fields. This is indirectly recognized by the United States, which explains its presence, among other things, by the need to control oil fields, the proceeds of which go to American allies in the region - the Syrian Kurds. They are considered by the US as the main force in the fight against ISIS*.
The central command does not consider the Taliban* a threat to US security.
McKenzie also said that the Taliban, with whom the US military has been fighting for almost 19 years, has never threatened the US.
"The threat to the US is not the Taliban*. It was never the Taliban. These are the people they allowed to live in Afghanistan and threaten us. We are talking about ISIS* and al-Qaeda*, " he said.
The military commander noted that the Taliban are "not friends of ISIS*", but it is difficult to say what their relationship with al-Qaeda* is. "Time will tell, and we will see it by what they do, not say," the General added.
The United States launched a military operation against the Taliban* in 2001. In Washington, this was explained by the fact that the Taliban was harboring al-Qaeda militants* who committed the September 11 attacks. The Taliban government was overthrown, and politicians loyal to the United States came to power, with whom the Taliban* began an armed confrontation.
In February, in Qatar, the United States and the radical Taliban* signed the first peace agreement in more than 18 years of war, which provides for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in 14 months (one of the key demands of the Taliban) and the beginning of an inter-Afghan dialogue after the prisoner exchange deal. Despite the agreement, US President Donald Trump said in a notification to Congress yesterday that the country was in a state of armed conflict with the Taliban and fighting was still ongoing.
* Terrorist organizations banned in Russia
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: AHMED MARDNLI / EPA / TASS
Based on materials from RIA Novosti