Several hundred troops to remain in Syria
/ CBS News
— Reporting by CBS News' Sara Cook and Kathryn Watson
Roughly 400 troops — about 200 on a peacekeeping mission and about 200 in the northeast region of Syria — will remain there after the U.S. withdraws its troops, a senior administration official confirmed to CBS News Friday.
The senior administration official told CBS News the peacekeeping troops are trying to secure peace by definition, but described them as military troops who are observers monitoring the situation. They will be embedded with European allies. It's unclear how many European allies there will be. In addition to those 200 peacekeeping troops, forces currently at Al-Tanf Garrison in south Syria will also remain.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders had initially said Thursday night 200 peacekeepers would remain, without mentioning the roughly 200 more troops who will also remain. That number was clarified Friday.
The timeline for withdrawing troops, however, remains unclear, and the Trump administration has yet to announce the total defeat of the caliphate in Syria, as President Trump said would happen.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, who told CBS News' Margaret Brennan on "Face the Nation" earlier this week that the "all the work is not yet done" in Syria, issued a statement applauding Mr. Trump. "With his decision, President Trump has decided to follow sound military advice," Graham said.
The White House statement on the number of peacekeepers remaining came soon after President Trump spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The two discussed Syria and agreed to continue coordinating on the creation of a potential safe zone.
Reuters first reported the rough number of peacekeepers who would remain.
U.S.-backed forces have closed in on the last sliver of ISIS territory in Syria. The U.S. has had a force of roughly 2,000 troops there to support local fighters and direct U.S. air power against ISIS targets.
Mr. Trump declared the defeat of ISIS in a tweet in December.
"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," the president tweeted in late December.
First published on February 22, 2019 / 5:37 PM
© 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Several hundred troops to remain in Syria
The Trump administration is not yet announcing the defeat of the caliphate, and there is no timeline for withdrawing troops
3M ago 
Kraft Heinz sees $16 billion in market value vanish
Wall Street analysts now question wisdom of 2015 Warren Buffett-steered merger that created packaged-food conglomerate
8M ago 
Organizers want breakdancing at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Will boomboxes be considered sports equipment at the Summer Games?
32M ago 
Trump admin proposes cutting millions from Planned Parenthood
It’s the most concrete step that the administration has taken to limit abortion access since President Trump’s inauguration
1H ago 
Virgin Galactic reaches edge of space again in push to launch paying passengers
The SpaceShipTwo rocketplane was carried aloft from the Mojave Air & Space Port north of Los Angeles
1H ago 
Several hundred troops to remain in Syria
The Trump administration is not yet announcing the defeat of the caliphate, and there is no timeline for withdrawing troops
3M ago
Trump admin proposes cutting millions from Planned Parenthood
It’s the most concrete step that the administration has taken to limit abortion access since President Trump’s inauguration
1H ago 
Trump meets with Chinese vice premier
The U.S. is running up against a March 1 deadline for trade talks
3H ago 
Here's who has been charged in Robert Mueller's probe
Mueller's report to Attorney General William Barr is expected sometime after next week
3H ago 
Student told she can't wear "MAGA" hat to high school
Student criticizes school district's dress code after being told she can't wear hat featuring well-known slogan
4H ago
Several hundred troops to remain in Syria
The Trump administration is not yet announcing the defeat of the caliphate, and there is no timeline for withdrawing troops
3M ago
Organizers want breakdancing at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Will boomboxes be considered sports equipment at the Summer Games?
32M ago
Here's who has been charged in Robert Mueller's probe
Mueller's report to Attorney General William Barr is expected sometime after next week
3H ago 
Woman dies after eating at Michelin-starred restaurant
One woman died and 28 other diners have fallen ill after eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Valencia, Spain
3H ago 
Father of ISIS bride sues to get U.S. to let her come back
Suit argues Hoda Muthana is an American citizen and should be allowed to return but U.S. says she's not
6H ago 
Here's how to watch the 91st Academy Awards
All of Hollywood's elite will descend on LA's Dolby Theatre Sunday night for the biggest cinema awards event of the year
2H ago 
R. Kelly charged with criminal sexual abuse in Illinois
The singer has faced allegations of sexual misconduct with underage girls for decades and has denied them
3H ago 
"Space Jam 2" release date revealed
The premiere date may have been chosen to pay homage to both the original "Space Jam" star – and the new one
5H ago 
Afrofuturism gains momentum as artists reclaim black history
Social, cultural and political philosophy dating back to the 1950s is resurging with popularity of films like "Black Panther" and works of author Tomi Adeyemi and artist Janelle Monáe
6H ago 
Jussie Smollett's character cut from "Empire" episodes
"The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for all of us," executive producers said in a statement
6H ago 
Virgin Galactic reaches edge of space again in push to launch paying passengers
The SpaceShipTwo rocketplane was carried aloft from the Mojave Air & Space Port north of Los Angeles
1H ago 
Japanese space probe lands on far-off asteroid to get samples
Scientists say the samples could provide clues about the origin of the solar system and of life on Earth
13H ago 
SpaceX launches rocket carrying privately funded Israeli moon lander
If successful, the $100M mission will put Israel in an exclusive club, joining the U.S., Soviet Union/Russia and China as only the fourth nation in space history to pull off a powered landing on the moon
19H ago 
Advocates say Facebook tricked kids into in-game purchases
FTC urged to probe if the social-media company illegally enticed minors to spend money without parental consent
Feb 21 
YouTube axes 400+ channels over child exploitation controversy
YouTube has come under fire for allowing disturbing content, leading major companies to pull their ads
Feb 21 
Company may have leaked carcinogen into air for years
Breathing in high concentrations of the chemical TCE has been linked to kidney cancer, liver cancer and lymphoma
38M ago 
Child dies a day after flu diagnosis
41 children have died from flu-related causes this flu season, including a fourth-grader who died just one day after being diagnosed
2H ago
Woman dies after eating at Michelin-starred restaurant
One woman died and 28 other diners have fallen ill after eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Valencia, Spain
3H ago 
FDA warns about potentially harmful dietary supplements
Americans spent more than $40 billion on supplements last year, with 3 out of 4 people regularly taking them
4H ago 
"Heartless": Hospital and doctor accused of giving lethal doses of fentanyl
CBS News spoke with five people who said their family members died while under Dr. William Husel's care at Mount Carmel Hospital
10H ago 
Kraft Heinz sees $16 billion in market value vanish
Wall Street analysts now question wisdom of 2015 Warren Buffett-steered merger that created packaged-food conglomerate
8M ago 
One winner from tax overhaul: America's banks
Profits at U.S. financial institutions soared 44 percent to record highs last year, largely due to changes in tax law
4H ago 
Blame Amazon: Stamps.com shares plunge 50 percent
The company said it no longer wanted an exclusive deal with the U.S. Postal Service due to Amazon's entry into shipping
5H ago 
Zion Williamson injury rips through business of basketball
Freak injury for one of college basketball's biggest players sparks debate on everything from endorsements to insurance
6H ago 
High rents create a new class of hidden homeless
As affordable housing gets harder to find, some newly homeless live out of their cars on the streets of Los Angeles
8H ago 
R. Kelly charged with criminal sexual abuse in Illinois
The singer has faced allegations of sexual misconduct with underage girls for decades and has denied them
3H ago 
Parents of 13 kids plead guilty in "house of horrors" case
David and Louise Turpin shackled some of their 13 children to beds and starved them in horrific captivity case
4H ago 
Patriots owner Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitution
"We're as equally stunned as anyone else," police said
5H ago 
El Chapo's sons charged with drug trafficking
Joaquin Guzman Lopez, 34, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 28, allegedly conspired to send cocaine and other drugs into the U.S.
22H ago 
Coast Guard officer with alleged hit list to remain jailed
Lt. Christopher Paul Hasson was ordered held on gun and drug charges; prosecutors describe him as "domestic terrorist"
23H ago
