US Pulls Troops Clear of Turkish Offensive in Syria, Hands Over Burden of ISIS Prisoners

Turkish soldiers stand near armored vehicles as a man waves a Turkish national flag during a demonstration in support of the Turkish army's Idlib operation near the Turkey-Syria border near Reyhanli, Hatay, on Oct. 10, 2017. Ilyas Akenga/AFP/Getty Images

The White House announced on Oct. 6 that U.S. troops are pulling out of northern Syria, clearing out of the way for an imminent long-planned Turkish military offensive against Kurdish-led forces.

Turkey will also take responsibility for the thousands of ISIS “caliphate” members currently held in camps, according to the announcement, which followed a phone call between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.