{"id":52519,"date":"2019-09-29T16:58:07","date_gmt":"2019-09-29T16:58:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/09\/29\/syria-demands-withdrawal-of-all-american-turkish-forces\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:01:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:01:38","slug":"syria-demands-withdrawal-of-all-american-turkish-forces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/09\/29\/syria-demands-withdrawal-of-all-american-turkish-forces\/","title":{"rendered":"Syria demands withdrawal of all American, Turkish forces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">UNITED NATIONS \u2014 Syria\u2019s top diplomat on Saturday demanded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/09\/08\/to-set-up-safe-zone-us-wades-into-muddled-syria-politics\/\" target=_blank>the immediate withdrawal of American and Turkish forces<\/a> from the country and said his government reserves the right to defend its territory in any way necessary if they remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem\u2019s remarks to the United Nations General Assembly were made as Turkey and the United States press ahead with a deal to create a safe zone along Syria\u2019s border with Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the political front, he reaffirmed the government\u2019s support for the recently agreed committee to draft a new constitution for the country. As has been the government\u2019s tone since the start of the 2011 uprising in Syria, the foreign minister took a hard line, stressing there must be no interference from any country or timeline imposed on the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/09\/26\/a-bipartisan-report-calls-for-the-us-to-halt-its-withdrawal-from-syria\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1166774862.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">A bipartisan report calls for the US to halt its withdrawal from Syria<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Absent U.S. assistance in the region, America risks handing the reins of the country\u2019s future to a resurgent ISIS, al-Qaida offshoots and the maligned interests of Iran, Russia and other actors in the region.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al-Moallem\u2019s speech highlighted the enormous challenges to achieve reconciliation in Syria, where over 400,000 people have been killed during the conflict and millions more have fled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more than eight-year conflict has also drawn numerous foreign militaries and thousands of foreign fighters to Syria, many to support the now-defeated Islamic State extremist group and others still there backing the opposition and battling government forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/03\/18\/us-military-presence-in-syria-is-illegitimate-says-defense-minister\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19077501751946.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US military presence in Syria is \u2018illegitimate,\u2019 says defense minister<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Syria\u2019s defense minister on Monday slammed what he called the \u201cillegitimate\u201d U.S. military presence in his country, vowing that Damascus has a right to self-defense, while Iraq said a border crossing with Syria will open in the coming days.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/09\/10\/turkey-accuses-us-of-stalling-on-syria-safe-zone-plans\/\" target=\"_blank\">The United States and Turkey maintain an illegal military presence<\/a> in northern Syria,\u201d al-Moallem said. \u201cAny foreign forces operating in our territories without our authorization are occupying forces and should withdraw immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If they refuse, he said, \u201cwe have the right to take any and all countermeasures authorized under international law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271543036971.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"Syria's Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al-Moualem\" class=\"wp-image-88854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271543036971.jpg.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271543036971.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271543036971.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271543036971.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Syria&#8217;s Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al-Moualem addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. (Richard Drew\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are around 1,000 U.S. troops in Syria on a mission to combat Islamic State militants. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/09\/03\/us-backed-syrian-kurds-to-remove-fortifications-from-turkish-border-as-part-of-safe-zone-deal\/\" target=_blank>The United States also backs and supports Kurdish groups<\/a> in the northeast that are opposed to the Syrian government and have fought against Sunni extremist groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. President Donald Trump had said he wants to bring the troops home, but military officials have advocated a phased approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/02\/22\/us-to-keep-10-percent-of-its-fighting-forces-in-syria-reversing-trumps-planned-full-withdrawal\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/C-syria.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US to keep 10 percent of its fighting forces in Syria, reversing Trump\u2019s planned full withdrawal<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">About 200 U.S. troops will remain in Syria for the foreseeable future, a reversal of White House plans for a full withdrawal from the war-torn country, after lawmakers voiced concerns about the security ramifications of a hasty retreat.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al-Moallem described Turkey and the United States as \u201carrogant to the point of holding discussions and reaching agreements on the creation of a so-called \u2018safe zone\u2019 inside Syria\u201d as if it was on their own soil. He said any agreement without the consent of the Syrian government is rejected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The deal between the U.S. and Turkey keeps U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, considered terrorists by Turkey, away from Syria\u2019s northeastern border with Turkey. It involves an area five to 14 kilometers deep (three to eight miles), as well as the removal of heavy weapons from a 20-kilometer-deep zone (12 miles). The length of the zone has not yet been agreed to by both parties but will likely stretch hundreds of kilometers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1200\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271508101333.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"American soldier Syria\" class=\"wp-image-53089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271508101333.jpg.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271508101333.jpg.jpg?resize=300,240 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271508101333.jpg.jpg?resize=768,614 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271508101333.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,819 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. soldier oversees members of the Syrian Democratic Forces on Sept. 21, 2019, as they demolish a Kurdish fighters&#8217; fortification and raise a Tal Abyad Military Council flag over the outpost as part of the so-called &#8220;safe zone&#8221; near the Turkish border. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Goedl via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of Syria is now under the control of the Syrian government, which is backed by Russia and Iran. However, Syrian rebels and extremists still hold Idlib in the northwest, and U.S-backed Kurdish groups hold parts of the oil-rich northeast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Syrian government maintains that Idlib remains a hotbed for \u201cterrorists\u201d and al-Moallem vowed that its \u201cwar against terrorism\u201d will continue \u201cuntil rooting out the last remaining terrorist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/02\/17\/assad-vows-to-liberate-every-inch-of-syria-from-foreign-troops\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19048634965834.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Assad vows to \u2018liberate every inch of Syria\u2019 from foreign troops<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Only the Syrian state can protect groups in northern Syria and the army will \u201cliberate every inch of Syria\u201d from foreign troops, Syrian President Bashar Assad said Sunday.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a breakthrough on the political front, earlier this week U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced the formation of the committee that would draft Syria\u2019s new constitution, which he said could be an important step toward ending the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.N. chief announced Saturday that the committee will meet for the first time in Geneva on Oct. 30. Its rules state that a new constitution will be followed by \u201cfree and fair elections under United Nations supervision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee was authorized at a Russian-hosted Syrian peace conference in January 2018, but it took nearly 20 months for the sides to agree on the 150 members \u2014 particularly on a 50-member civil society of experts, independents, tribal leaders and women to serve alongside 50 members from the government and 50 members from the opposition. The U.N. was authorized to put together the civil society list but the choices faced objections, mainly from the Syrian government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the newly announced terms, the \u201cSyrian-led and Syrian-owned\u201d committee, with U.N. envoy Geir Pedersen as facilitator, will amend the current 2012 constitution or draft a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"982\" height=\"915\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271535743744.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"Syria map\" class=\"wp-image-88855\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271535743744.jpg.jpg 982w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271535743744.jpg.jpg?resize=300,280 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19271535743744.jpg.jpg?resize=768,716 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 982px) 100vw, 982px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of Syria has returned to government control after eight years of war.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al-Moallem stressed that the committee will operate without preconditions, its recommendations must be made independently, and \u201cno deadlines or timetables must be imposed on the committee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On another long-simmering dispute, al-Moallem accused Israel of starting \u201canother phase of escalation\u201d through its repeated attacks on Syrian territory and the territory of other neighboring countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He stressed that \u201cit is a delusion\u201d to think that the Syrian conflict would force the government to forfeit its \u201cinalienable right\u201d to recover the Golan Heights which Israel captured during the June 1967 war. The annexation is not recognized under international law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration in March signed a proclamation recognizing Israel\u2019s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing more than a half-century of U.S. policy in the Middle East. He also moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in recognition of Israel\u2019s claims of the city as its capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is a delusion,\u201d al-Moallem stressed, \u201cto think that the decisions of the U.S. administration on the sovereignty over the Golan would alter historical and geographical facts or the provisions of international law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Golan has been and will forever be part of Syria,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Syria\u2019s top diplomat on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of American and Turkish forces from the country and said his government reserves the right to defend its territory in any way necessary if they remain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":88853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":8,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[100,8,23,92,12,25,68],"tags":[],"coauthors":[2806,237],"class_list":["post-52519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-left-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"BRIJ656SWNHVDFUCQ4SER5M5FQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2019\/09\/29\/syria-demands-withdrawal-of-all-american-turkish-forces\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Syria demands withdrawal of all American, Turkish forces - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Syria\u2019s top diplomat on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of American and Turkish forces from the country and said his government reserves the right to defend its territory in any way necessary if they remain.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Syria demands withdrawal of all American, Turkish forces\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Syria\u2019s top diplomat on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of American and Turkish forces from the country and said his government reserves the right to defend its territory in any way necessary if they remain.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/09\/29\/syria-demands-withdrawal-of-all-american-turkish-forces\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Army Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-09-29T16:58:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T08:01:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Aya Batrawy, The Associated Press, Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Aya Batrawy, The Associated Press, Edith M. 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