France to maintain troops in Syria

By Yusuf Ozcan

PARIS

President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced France will retain its troops in Syria and Iraq in 2019.

Speaking at an air base located in Toulouse, southwestern France, Macron stressed that their military engagement will continue throughout 2019 in the Levant region.

"The announced withdrawal of our American ally should not deflect us from our strategic objective to eradicate Daesh," he added.

In December, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw roughly 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, claiming that American forces had defeated Daesh there.