US, France To Continue Cooperation To Ensure Security In Syria's Northeast - Pentagon

Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan held a meeting with French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, during which the two parties have agreed to continue cooperation in order to ensure security in Syria's northeast, the US Department of Defense said in a press release

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th March, 2019) Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan held a meeting with French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, during which the two parties have agreed to continue cooperation in order to ensure security in Syria's northeast, the US Department of Defense said in a press release.

"Secretary Shanahan and Minister Parly agreed to continue working together as coalition partners to address security and stability in northeast Syria," the press release said.

According to the press release, Shanahan and Parly have also discussed a number of other issues, including Washington's commitment to eliminate the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) and continue leading the international coalition to defeat IS.

The United States and its allies have been conducting an operation against IS in Syria and neighboring Iraq since 2014. Meanwhile, the coalition's actions in Syria have never been authorized by official Damascus. In December, US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the country's troops from Syria.