President Trump Says U.S. Forces in Syria to Help Ensure Peace

Illustration of US military in Syria. (Wikimedia Commons/Sgt. Arjenis Nunez)

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that his country's presence in Syria was intended to help maintain peace in the Middle East, in response to questions about why troops were deployed in the country.

"We are trying to ensure that there will be - and remain - peace in the Middle East, and Syria is a big part of that," he said, speaking at a news conference at the White House, launching Al Arabiya (16/12).

His comments came days after two US soldiers and a civilian translator were killed in central Syria on Saturday, after an ISIL member allegedly opened fire on a US-Syrian joint patrol.

After the incident, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the attack took place in Palmyra, home to ancient ruins listed by UNESCO and once held by the ISIS group during the peak of its territorial expansion in Syria.

The attack is the first of its kind reported since armed opposition forces ousted long-time Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December last year and revived the country's ties with the United States under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

"The new leader (al-Sharaa) is a strong person and that's what you need. It's a tough part of the world, and it's amazing what's happened in Syria," said President Trump.

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"We have removed Assad and other bad people who are hindering peace in the Middle East," he added.

President Trump said that for the "first time in 3,000 years" the Middle East was at peace.

"We have a legitimate peace in the Middle East. The first time in 3,000 years. We'll see what happens with Hamas. We'll see what happens with Hezbollah, but regardless, we have countries that want to come in and clean it up if we want it," President Trump said.