White House: We Have No Intention to Lift Sanctions Against Syria or Withdraw from Its Territory

John Kirby, the U.S. National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, confirmed that Washington does not intend to ease the sanctions imposed on Syria or withdraw its forces from its territory. He noted that the U.S. presence in Syria is not large, with "only a thousand American troops" located in specific areas. He added that the mission of these soldiers is limited to fighting the ISIS terrorist organization, which is banned not only in the United States but also in Russia. He claimed that the White House does not intend to change the balance of power in Syria but aims to continue pursuing the organization. The Syrian government rejects the U.S. illegal military presence in its territory and has repeatedly condemned the crimes committed against the Syrian people, demanding an immediate and unconditional withdrawal. As usual, the United States excuses itself by citing the Russian presence in Syria, overlooking that this presence was requested by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and approved by the elected Syrian government, and did not come on the backs of tanks as the U.S. did when it invaded Iraq in 2003.