U.S. begins moving military equipment out of Syria: media

Some U.S. military ground equipment has been withdrawn from Syria in recent days, U.S. media reported on Thursday.

"Some cargo has already moved," CNN quoted an administration official with direct knowledge of the operation as saying.

The official did not reveal detailed information as to what the cargo was or whether it had been moved out by aircraft or ground vehicles.

In this April 4, 2018, file photo, a U.S. soldier sits on an armored vehicle on a road leading to the front line with Turkish-backed fighters, in Manbij, north Syria. [File photo: AP]

The recent cargo withdrawal is reportedly intended to show the progress of the Syria withdrawal plan to U.S. President Donald Trump by the Pentagon.

Trump said earlier this week that U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Syria "at a proper pace," while at the same time continuing the fight against the Islamic State (IS).

Currently, there are about 2,000 U.S. troops deployed in Syria.

On Dec. 19, the White House said it would withdraw U.S. troops from Syria after claiming victory in the fight there against the IS. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who clashed with Trump over the withdrawal issue, signed the withdrawal order days later before leaving office.