France says it is taking measures to safety its troops in Syria

ARK News: France said on Monday that it was taking measures to ensure the safety of its military and civilian personnel in Syrian Kurdistan as the United States withdraws its troops from the region following a Turkish attack on PYD militants.

France has been a key ally in the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and its warplanes have been pounding militant targets and coordinating its special forces on the ground with SDF.

The United States said on Sunday it would begin withdrawing about 1,000 troops from Syrian Kurdistan in an operation two US officials told Reuters: "It could take a few days."

"Action will be taken in the coming hours to ensure the safety of French military and civilian personnel in the region within the framework of the international coalition fighting the Islamic State and humanitarian action," the French presidency said in a statement after an emergency cabinet meeting. It gave no further details.

French officials said earlier that the US withdrawal would force them to withdraw as well since they rely on US logistical support.

A diplomatic source in the region told Reuters on Thursday that Paris was preparing to withdraw several hundred of its special forces. French relief workers are also working in the area.

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