US to maintain its military presence in Syria to fight Daesh

The United States will continue its military presence in Syria to fight the terrorist group Daesh, the U.S. embassy in Syria said Sunday. The statement coincided with a news report that claimed Washington covered up the 2019 airstrikes in Syria that killed up to 64 women and children in its fight against Daesh.

The statement comes as the New York Times reported on Saturday that two back-to-back airstrikes near the town of Baghuz were carried out by a classified American special operations unit tasked with ground operations in Syria.

The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in the U.S., Turkey and the European Union, and Washington’s support for its Syrian affiliate has been a major strain on bilateral relations with Ankara.