Raymond Thomas Acknowledges that Presence of US Forces in Syria Is Illegal

WASHINGTON, (ST)- US Special Operations Forces Commander General Raymond Thomas has acknowledged that the presence of US forces in Syria was illegal as it came out of the international legitimacy framework unlike the presence of the Russian forces which came at the request of the legitimate Syrian government.

 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has recently said that the presence of any foreign troops or bases in Syria after the conflict resolution will be legitimate with the Syrians’ consent.

“After the country has been liberated, after the settlement has been reached to the satisfaction of all the Syrian ethnic, confessional and political groups, the presence of the foreign troops, of foreign bases on the soil of Syria would be only legitimate with the consent of the Syrians themselves,” Lavrov was quoted by Itar Tass as saying when asked about Russia’s stance on deployment of US bases and checkpoints in the north of Syria.

According to the American “News Week” magazine, Thomas said on Saturday during a security conference at the Aspen Institute, that while counterterrorism remained a priority for US forces, international law could prevent the U.S. from maintaining a long-term presence in Syria, where its intervention has been declared illegal by the Syrian government. He added that Russia is also involved in the fight against the so-called “Islamic State” militant group (ISIS) and other armed groups in Syria, but it entered at the request of the Syrian government; something that could allow Moscow to make a solid case for the U.S.’s departure.

“If the Russians play that card, we could want to stay and have no ability to do it,” Thomas added, pointing out that Russia had established a more credible foothold than the U.S. in Syria, and that Moscow could use this influence to essentially expel his forces.

On the American attacks against the Syrian Arab army’s positions, Thomas said that such incidents would cause a cut of communications between the Russian and US sides and may lead at the end to Russia’s investigating the US about the legality of its presence in Syria after the defeat of ISIS.

Hamda Mustafa