(CNN)The White House made an announcement on Sunday that shocked its allies in Syria. President Donald Trump’s administration announced that Turkish forces would soon move into portions of northern Syria which are currently controlled by Kurdish groups, and that US troops in the area would step aside.
While the Kurds have been Washington’s staunchest and most effective allies in the war against ISIS, it now appears they will be left to Turkey’s mercy. Turkey views many Kurdish groups as terrorist organizations, and has previously threatened to move into northern Syria if the US did not get the Kurds to move away from the Turkish border.
Now that move appears imminent. It also has the blessing of the Trump administration which released a statement saying US forces “will not support or be involved in the (planned Turkish) operation” and that American troops “will no longer be in the immediate area.”
