Trump to speak from White House to claim ‘success’ in Syria

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’ll make a statement from the White House later Wednesday morning on what he’s calling the “big success” along the Turkey-Syria.

Trump tweets that he’ll discuss the cease-fire between Turkey and Syrian Kurdish forces. According to Trump, the Kurds are “safe,” and he says captured Islamic State fighters are “secured” in detention centers.

But since Turkey invaded northern Syria, several hundred IS fighters have escaped from prison, U.S. troops have withdrawn from the area and America has lost influence in the region.

Turkey and Russia reached an agreement Tuesday that would transform the map of northeast Syria, installing their forces along the border and filling the void left by the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. troops.