Withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria to start in 'weeks'

The United States is likely just weeks away from starting the withdrawal of ground troops from Syria, the head of the U.S. Central Command, Army General Joseph Votel said.

Votel cautioned that the exact timing would depend on the situation in Syria, where U.S.-backed fighters have launched a final assault against ISIS enclaves near the Iraqi border.

Asked whether the withdrawal of America’s more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, the army general said: “Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground.”

“In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we’re right on track with where we wanted to be,” Votel said.

“Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we’re trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need," Reuters cited him as saying.