Top US envoy resigns over Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria

A top US envoy to the global coalition fighting ISIL identified as Brett McGurk has resigned over his disagreement with President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to pull US troops out of Syria.

According to reports, McGurk submitted his resignation letter to Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on Friday.

In his resignation letter, McGurk said fighters with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) were on the run, but not yet defeated as Trump had said.

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His resignation is coming a day after Defense Secretary James Mattis said he was leaving his post citing policy difference with Trump for his decision.

Reports say Mattis who will leave by the end of February after two tumultuous years in the post, told Trump after his decision that “you have the right to have a defence chief whose views are better aligned with yours”.

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