‘Not our fight’: President-elect Trump distances US from Syria’s conflict
Al Jazeera
In a morning social media post, Republican Donald Trump indicated the US should have ‘nothing to do’ with Syria’s war.
President-elect Donald Trump has signalled that, under his administration, the United States would cease any involvement in Syria’s long-running civil war, hinting at a possible end to support for Kurdish-led forces in the region.
In a Saturday morning missive on social media, Trump addressed the surprise opposition offensive that has redrawn the battle lines in the Syrian conflict.
“Syria is a mess, but is not our friend,” Trump wrote, before switching to all uppercase letters for emphasis. “THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”
Trump campaigned for re-election in November’s presidential race by pushing an “America First” platform, one that critics feared could destabilise US alliances abroad.
In Syria, the US maintains no formal diplomatic relations with the government of embattled President Bashar al-Assad. But it does back the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led coalition based largely in the northeast, as an ally in defeating ISIL (ISIS).
HMPV infections are spreading in China, while cases of flu-like disease have also been found in India and the UK.
Moscow blames Ukraine for halting gas transit and Moldova for financial spat; Chisinau suspects Russia of seeking to influence upcoming elections.
Verifying casualty figures for soldiers in the Russia-Ukraine war is difficult, as experts call it ‘a war of narratives’.
Authorities say they are investigating the cause of the crash off island located near Perth, Western Australia.
Analysts predict a tough year, as Islamabad prepares for more US belligerence towards China, the closest Pakistan ally.
President Maduro said the group included mercenaries and ‘hit men’, describing two US detainees as ‘very high level’.
Here are the key developments on the 1,049th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says change will strike $49bn in medical debt from credit reports.
Lim Kimya, 74, had refused to flee Cambodia even after former PM Hun Sen threatened to make opposition MPs lives ‘hell’.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent says fear dominates in Gaza as Israeli attacks intensify, targeting ‘humanitarian safe zone’.
Israeli forces kill 5 children in al-Mawasi as Trump warns Hamas that ‘all hell will break out’ if captives not freed.