Former Defense Secretary James Mattis said in a new interview that ISIS will become stronger in northern Syria and Iraq if U.S.-aligned forces do not maintain pressure in the region.
In an interview airing Sunday on “Meet the Press,” Mattis warned that the region was in “disarray” due to the invasion of Turkish forces and withdrawal of U.S. troops, which he warned would benefit ISIS forces thought to be hiding in the region as well as those already detained in prison camps.
“It’s in a situation of disarray right now,” Mattis said of the northern Syria region currently besieged by Turkish forces. “Obviously, the Kurds are adapting to the Turkish attacks. And we’ll have to see if they’re able to maintain the fight against ISIS. It’s going to have an impact. The question is, how much?”