Turkey, Iran vow to work closer on Syria after US pullout

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Thursday vowed to work closer to end the fighting in Syria. But the two leaders made no comment on US President Donald Trump's shock announcement that he was pulling US troops out of the war-ravaged nation.

"There are many steps that Turkey and Iran can take together to stop the fighting in the region and to establish peace," said Erdogan, without elaborating, at a joint news conference with Rouhani in Ankara. "Syria's territorial integrity must be respected by all sides. Both countries are of the same opinion regarding this," Rouhani said in translated remarks. The two leaders' meeting had been arranged before Trump's announcement about the US pull-out, a move already welcomed on Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Germany warned Thursday that US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull troops out of Syria could endanger a battle against Islamic State militants and jeopardise achievements on this front. "The IS has been pushed back, but the threat is not over. There is a danger that the consequences of (Trump’s) decision could hurt the fight against the IS and endanger what has been achieved," said German Foreign Minister Heiko MaasBritain insisted "much remains to be done" in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria, amid reports Thursday it was not given prior warning of President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out US ground troops.

France says to stay in Syria after US troops ordered home: France will maintain its participation in the coalition fighting Islamic State forces in Syria, government officials said Thursday after President Donald Trump surprised Washington’s allies by ordering US troops home. "For now of course we remain in Syria," France’s European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau said on CNews television, adding "the fight against terrorism is not over." "It’s true that the coalition has made significant progress in Syria, but this fight continues, and we will continue it," she said. France has stationed fighter jets in Jordan and artillery along the Syrian border in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition, as well as an undisclosed number of special forces on the ground.