French and British forces prepare to withdraw from Syrian Kurdistan

ARK News: Paris may be forced to withdraw its troops from the coalition against ISIS in northern Syria after US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw his troops from the region, French media said on Friday.

Although the French government has not officially confirmed the presence of special forces in Syria, President Emmanuel Macron implicitly acknowledged their presence there after a meeting with French defense officials on Sunday.

A statement by the French presidency: It will take measures to ensure the safety of French military personnel and civilians in the region.

A spokesman for the French armed forces declined to disclose further details for security reasons, according to French Press Agency.

British media reported that British special forces were preparing to leave Syria.

Britain maintains a few hundred troops at the al-Tanaf border base between Iraq and Syria, along with military advisers and trainers.

Paris is contributing about 1,000 troops to the coalition in Syria and Iraq, and military sources say they include about 200 special forces in northern Syria.

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