US forces to withdraw from Syria via northern Iraq

BAGHDAD

U.S. troops in Syria are going to leave the war-torn country through northern Iraq, an Iraqi military officer said.

The forces "will withdraw to Erbil, not areas controlled by Iraq's [Baghdad] central government," Major General Yahya Rasul said.

He said the U.S. forces may return to the U.S. or other regions after arriving in Erbil.

The officer said the move will not undermine the Iraqi sovereignty as a permanent presence of the troops is not a subject of discussion.

The U.S. is yet to announce a roadmap for the withdrawal.

On Monday, President Donald Trump signaled the U.S. was slowing its withdrawal of 2,000 troops stationed in Syria.

The announcement appeared to be at odds with his original declaration in which he vowed an immediate removal of U.S. forces from Syria and the defeat of the Daesh terrorist group. But the new timeline for the U.S. exit remains unclear.