United States soldiers leaving Syria have been pelted with potatoes as President Donald Trump reveals a small number of troops could stay in the country to “secure the oil”.
New footage shows Kurdish locals hurling rocks and rotten vegetables as a United States military convoy pulls out of Syria.
Speaking in Kurdish, the locals said the United States were “traitors” who were running away from the country “like rats”.
Kurdish locals pelt potatoes at a United States military vehicle pulling out of Syria. Source: ANHA News Agency/AP
The United States forces are expected to be deployed elsewhere in the Middle East, including Iraq, although Mr Trump has now said some could be staying in Syria.
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that Mr Trump was prepared to use force against Turkey "as needed".
Mr Trump said a small number of United States troops could be kept in a different part of Syria to “secure the oil”, although he has repeated his desire to ultimately pull all soldiers out.
“They’re going to be sent initially to different parts,” he said at a White House Cabinet meeting.
“Ultimately, we’re bringing them home.”
The locals shouted that the US military was running away like "rats" as they threw rocks and rotten vegetables. Source: ANHA News Agency/AP
Turkey launched its offensive in Syria after Mr Trump announced he was withdrawing US troops from the northeastern section of the country.
His move was criticised in Washington and elsewhere as a betrayal of Kurdish allies who had fought for years alongside United States troops against Islamic State.
Mr Trump said the United States “never agreed to protect the Kurds for the rest of their lives”.
“We helped the Kurds. And we never gave the Kurds a commitment that we’d stay for the next 400 years and protect them.”
Furious locals said the United States were "traitors" for abandoning the Kurds. Source: ANHA News Agency/AP
United States Defense Secretary Mark Esper expanded on Mr Trump’s comments, saying troops could work with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to protect oil fields from Islamic State fighters.
Over the weekend Kurdish-led fighters withdrew from the border town of Ras al-Ain under a US-brokered ceasefire deal.
Although the ceasefire is due to end on Tuesday, Mr Trump said there was a possibility it could be extended.
“I’m sure if we needed a little extension that would be happening,” he said.
