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Monday, December 24, 2018, 11:45
Mattis signs order detailing US troop exit from Syria
By Xinhua
Monday, December 24, 2018, 11:45 By Xinhua

In this Sept 21, 2018 photo, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis speaks during the 2018 POW/MIA National Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington. (SUSAN WALSH / AP)

WASHINGTON — The departing US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has signed the execute order detailing the US troop withdrawal from Syria, reported US media on Sunday. 

"We (Trump and Turkey's president Erdogan) discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of the US troops from the area," Trump said

The order clarified how and when the US soldiers' exit from the war-torn country will occur, reported CNN citing anonymous defense officials. 

The withdrawal is expected to start "in the next several weeks" and could last "several weeks," according to the report. 

After claiming a victory in the fight against the Islamic State (IS), the Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it started pulling US troops back from Syria without revealing any detailed timetable. 

The decision was widely regarded as the last straw for the resignation of Mattis on Thursday. 

ALSO READ: US envoy to anti-IS coalition quits over Trump's Syria move

Trump tweeted on Sunday that he has picked Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan as the acting Pentagon chief, forcing Mattis to step down earlier than planned. 

Trump also tweeted that he had a phone conversation with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over Syria issues. 

"We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of the US troops from the area," he said.

According to a statement released by the Turkish presidency, Erdogan and Trump agreed to ensure diplomatic and military coordination to prevent an authority vacuum following the US withdrawal from Syria.

READ MORE: Mattis resigning as Pentagon chief after clashes with Trump

Erdogan also expressed satisfaction with steps taken by Washington regarding combating terrorism in Syria, saying Turkey was ready to provide any type of support.

Erdogan said in a tweet after the talk that both the leaders agreed to increase coordination on many issues, including trade relations and the developments in Syria.

Following the US move, Erdogan said Friday that Turkey had decided to postpone its cross-border operation into areas controlled by the Kurdish militia in northern Syria. 

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