Take back over 800 ISIS fighters captured in Syria\, Trump tells European allies

Take back over 800 ISIS fighters captured in Syria, Trump tells European allies

Press Trust of India  |  Washington 

has demanded that the European nations take back more than 800 fighters captured in and put them on trial, warning that the US otherwise will be forced to free the jihadists after it pulls out from the war-torn country.

He also warned the Islamic State (ISIS) that would hit them hard from nearby military bases if the terror outfit regains momentum.

US-backed fighters are set to capture ISIS's last tiny stronghold in Syria, bringing an end to its self-declared caliphate.

"The is asking Britain, France, and other European allies to take back over 800 fighters that we captured in and put them on trial. The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them," Trump said on Saturday.

Trump warned that fighters could "permeate Europe" and called on European nations to "step up" efforts to put the prisoners on trial in their countries.

"The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go. We do so much, and spend so much - Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing. We are pulling back after 100% Caliphate victory!" he said in a tweet.

ISIS, which once controlled huge swatches of land in and Syria, suffered crippling defeats in 2017 when recaptured and the Syrian Democratic Forces seized its Syrian capital of Raqqa, and the pushed it east to the

Trump has said he will pull US forces from Syria after ISIS' territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of the US' Kurdish allies vulnerable to an attack from

views the Kurdish forces as terrorists aligned with insurgents inside

Last month, Trump threatened to "devastate" economically if the NATO-allied nation attacks US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria following a pullout of American troops from the war-torn country. He also urged the Kurds not to "provoke"

Ground troops first arrived in Syria in autumn 2015 when then US President sent in a small number of special forces to train and advise fighters.

A peaceful uprising against the president of Syrian President seven years ago turned into a full-scale civil war. The conflict has left more than 350,000 people dead, devastated cities and drawn in other countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sun, February 17 2019. 14:15 IST