Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from Syria will allow Islamic State to recover – critics. Right decision to do – Putin

A Kurdish-led alliance in Syria says President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to withdraw US troops will allow the Islamic State (IS) group to recover.

A statement from the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) warned of a military vacuum that would leave the alliance trapped between “hostile parties”.

Mr Trump made the announcement on Wednesday, saying IS had been defeated.

However, major allies and some US politicians have disputed the claim.

A US partnership with the SDF – an alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters – is credited with playing a major role in the virtual elimination of IS after it overran large swathes of Syria four years ago. BBC

Meanwhile, Politico reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday applauded U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to begin pulling U.S. forces out of Syria, telling reporters at a press conference that he agrees with Trump’s assessment that the Islamic State has been defeated in the conflict-ravaged nation.

“On this, Donald is right. I agree with him,” Putin said of Trump’s assertion that the militant group has been defeated in Syria, where Russian troops have supported the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.