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Washington DC, United States
The incoming United States (US) President Donald Trump has expressed his thoughts on the ongoing rebel offensive in Syria. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, on Saturday (Dec 7), Trump said, "Syria is a mess but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!"
Trump made this remark shortly before he arrived at the Elysees Palace to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron while in Paris for the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral.
It was not immediately clear why Trump raised the issue of a role in Syria. However, he may have wished to ensure that outgoing President Joe Biden avoided any entanglement there before handing power to Trump on January 20.
Also read | Syrian conflict: Rebel factions say they're in ‘final phase’ of encircling Damascus
There has been no public signal that the Biden administration is contemplating such an intervention, a report by the news agency AFP said.
The rebel offensive in Syria
The rebel offensive in Syria, which began on November 27, is being led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The offensive represents the most significant threat to President Bashar al-Assad's power in years, after Syria's civil war which began in 2011.
The US President-elect's remarks came as rebel factions said they were encircling around Damascus.
Earlier, rebel commander Abdel Ghani said that his forces had taken control of the Saasaa (security) branch in the Damascus countryside.
Syrian Army strengthening defence lines around Damascus
The Syrian Army has denied claims that its troops were withdrawing from Damascus.
"Our armed units are reinforcing their lines throughout the Damascus countryside and the southern region," a spokesperson for the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces said in a televised statement.
Also watch | US shouldn't get involved in Syria war, says Trump
Interior Minister Mohammed al-Rahmoun, meanwhile, said that there was a very strong security and military cordon on the far edges of Damascus and its countryside, "and no one... can penetrate this defensive line that we, the armed forces, are building."
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.