UNFINISHED BUSINESS

‘High Value’ ISIS Captives Left Behind by U.S. in Hasty Withdrawal From Syria: NYT

American forces were reportedly unable to carry out the plan before Trump’s sudden decision to withdraw U.S. troops.

American forces were unable to follow through with a plan to transfer about 60 “high value” ISIS captives before President Trump’s sudden decision to withdraw United States troops from the region earlier this week, according to two American officials, The New York Times reports. The president appeared to respond to the Times report on Sunday night, writing on Twitter that “the U.S. has the worst of the ISIS prisoners.” The Kurdish-run wartime prisons they are being held in are facing extremely strained resources, as Kurds are confronted with an attack from Turkish forces without help from the American military.

Chaos has ensued in the aftermath of Trump’s announcement last week, making way for hundreds of ISIS prisoners to escape from a low-security detention camp on Sunday. The escape came hours before the U.S. military clarified Trump’s withdrawal, saying it would gradually relocate its remaining troops to other areas. Trump also addressed the ISIS prisoner escapes on Sunday. “Turkey and the Kurds must not let them escape,” Trump tweeted. “Europe should have taken them back after numerous requests. They should do it now. They will never come to, or be allowed in, the United States!”