"On the US decision, I can only but welcome this choice", Macron told a news conference with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih. "The US decision is a good thing. We will continue to operate in the region within the coalition".

Last week, Trump reportedly agreed that about 400 troops would remain in Syria after the withdrawal of most of its forces. The step was taken after two months of pressure by Washington's allies and resignations of American top defense officials.

The remaining forces will be stationed in two areas: 200 at the al-Tanf base and around 200 more soldiers in north-eastern Syria as peacekeepers, Reuters reported last week, citing a US administration official. As the official noted, quoted by the media, those deployed in the northeast would be a part of a larger contingent, including Washington's European allies. The latter's contribution will number around 800-1,500 soldiers.

Both France and the United States are a part of the Joint Task Force established by the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State (IS). The alliance has been conducting military operations in both Syria and Iraq since 2014. In Syria, these operations have not been approved by either the country's government or by the UN.

Trump declared one of the most significant White House decisions when he decided to pull out troops from Syria in December 2018, promising to bring around 3,000 American soldiers home. The reason for the move, he explained, was the defeat of the IS terrorist group in Syria.

However, recently White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that a small "peacekeeping group" of about 200 soldiers will stay in Syria "for [a] period of time" after the withdrawal. The same information was repeated by an anonymous US administration official, quoted by Reuters.

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