American soldiers will guard the territories controlled by the Kurds.
US President Donald Trump approved an expanded military mission to ensure the safety of oil fields in eastern Syria, the Associated Press reports citing sources.
Under the new plan, troops will defend a large piece of land controlled by Kurdish militants, which extends nearly 150 km from Deir ez-Zor to Al-Hasaki. However, its exact size has not yet been determined, the agency notes.
“Trump’s order also crosses out any assumption that the bulk of the more than 1,200 US troops who were in Syria will return home soon, as he repeatedly promised”, – the media emphasized.
According to agency sources, the total number of US troops in Syria could be at least 800 people, including 200 soldiers who are based at Al Tanf in southern Syria.
It is noted that the new presidential decree raises a number of “difficult legal issues” about whether US forces can strike at Syrian, Russian or other forces if they threaten oil fields.
According to officials, lawyers are trying to figure out the details of the military order, which would clarify how far troops can go to keep oil under Kurdish control.