Syria demands US, French, Turkish forces withdraw instantly

[Anthea]

Syria demands US, French and Turkish forces withdraw immediately

Foreign minister says conditions fine for refugees to return
blames 'Western countries' for 'spreading irrational fears

Syria's foreign minister on Saturday denounced US, French and Turkish forces operating in his country as "occupying forces" and demanded that they leave immediately.

Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem also called on Syrian refugees to come home, AFP reported, even though the country's war is now in its eighth year.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said in his remarks to the General Assembly on Friday that the international community and UN agencies must make the return of refugees to Syria "a priority".

Moualem, who also serves as deputy prime minister, said the foreign forces were on Syrian soil illegally, under the pretext of fighting terrorism, and "will be dealt with accordingly."

"They must withdraw immediately and without any conditions," he told the assembly.

Moualem insisted that the "war on terror is almost over" in Syria, where more than 360,000 people have died since 2011, with millions more uprooted from their homes.

He said Damascus would continue "fighting this sacred battle until we purge all Syrian territories" of both terror groups and "any illegal foreign presence."

The United States has about 2,000 troops in Syria, mostly training and advising both Kurdish forces and Syrian Arabs opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.

France has more than 1,000 troops on the ground in the war-wracked country.

Moualem said that Israel was responsible for terrorism within Syria’s borders because of its frequent attacks, and that Damascus is determined to liberate the “occupied” Golan Heights, the Jerusalem Post reported.

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