US President Donald Trump said yesterday that a ceasefire between Turkey and Kurdish forces in Syria was "holding on despite some skirmishes," while US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Washington was considering keeping some of its troops in parts of northeastern Syria near the oil fields. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), while dozens of US armored vehicles, including soldiers, arrived at a US base in northwest Iraq, after crossing the Syrian border from the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

"The ceasefire between the two sides is holding despite some skirmishes, and the Kurds are leaving certain areas of Syria with prudence," Trump told reporters at the White House during a meeting of his administration.

"If Turkey behaves the wrong way, the United States will impose tariffs on its products and sanctions."

Trump has once again indicated that he does not want to leave US troops in Syria, but made clear that a limited number of troops will remain there, some on the border with Jordan, while others are protecting oil fields.

Esper told reporters during a trip to Afghanistan while US troops were being withdrawn from northeastern Syria that the aim of the move was to ensure that ISIS or others did not control oil. Partner forces near the oil fields ».

Isber said discussions were under way on keeping some troops there, adding that "this proposal has not been submitted yet, but the task of the Ministry of Defense to discuss all options."

Esper said yesterday that Afghans should not misunderstand America's sudden and controversial withdrawal from parts of Syria that it could also be applied in Afghanistan.

This comes at a time when dozens of US armored vehicles, including soldiers, arrived yesterday, to a US base in northwestern Iraq from Syria.

US forces first crossed the Fishkhabour border bridge adjacent to the Iraqi-Syrian-Turkish triangle, before passing through Dohuk province and joining a military base near the northwestern city of Mosul.

The AFP correspondent saw more than 70 armored vehicles and military vehicles flying the American flag crossing the Syrian city of Tal Tamr, while helicopters were keeping up with them. Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the convoy had evacuated Srin airport, the largest base for US forces in northern Syria, the fourth to withdraw in about two weeks. An Iraqi Kurdish security source told Reuters yesterday that US forces had crossed into Iraqi Kurdistan.

The source added that about 30 trailers and Hummer vehicles carrying heavy equipment crossed along with vehicles carrying soldiers. A second security source in Mosul said US forces had crossed into Iraq from the Suheila crossing.