OREANDA-NEWS. US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper arrives in Baghdad on an unannounced visit. This was reported on Wednesday by the American News Agency. According to it, in Baghdad, the head of the Pentagon plans to meet with his Iraqi counterpart Najah al-Shamari, as well as with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. The agency notes that Esper intends to discuss with the Iraqi leadership the process of withdrawing US troops from Syria and "the role Iraq will play in this process".

October 9, Turkey announced the operation in the north of Syria, Operation Source of Peace. The purpose of the operation is to create a buffer zone there, which should become a protective belt for the Turkish border. According to Ankara’s plan, Syrian refugees will be able to return from Turkey.

On October 13, Pentagon chief Mark Esper said the United States was launching the withdrawal of about 1,000 American troops from northern Syria due to the Turkish offensive. On October 16, US-led international coalition forces completely eliminated their military base, located in the area of ​​Kobani, 150 km from Aleppo in northern Syria, and also left the cities of Raqqa and Tabka in the north-east of the Arab Republic. On Monday, according to Reuters, a group of US troops crossed the Syrian border towards the Iraqi province of Dahuk.