Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told Pentagon officials during a visit to the United States that there must not be a vacuum of power during the withdrawal of US forces from Syria, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday.
A senior administration official said on Friday Washington will leave about 400 US troops split between two Syrian regions, a reversal by President Donald Trump that could pave the way for US allies to keep troops in Syria. Turkey's Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar (L) walks with acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan (R) before a meeting at the Pentagon February 19, 2019 in Washington, DC. AFP