Donald Trump’s shock announcement that the US military will be withdrawing Syria has completely blindsided UK defence chiefs.

Hundreds of British special forces troops will need to be pulled out of the country if the US withdraws completely.

President Trump said overnight it was “time for us to get out” and let others “figure the situation out.”

The precise number of elite British troops in the region is unclear, but thought to consist of a few hundred operatives.

The Ministry of Defence rarely comments on special forces deployments because their operations and intelligence sources are highly classified.

While the government is obliged to get parliamentary approval to deploy regular troops in combat overseas, the SAS and other special forces personnel can be sent overseas with politicians only advised on a ‘need to know’ basis.

Pentagon sources are themselves vague on how much the US presence in the region will be scaled back, but any UK force would need to be reduced accordingly.

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British special forces troops in Syria rely heavily on the US military for intelligence and logistical support – and they would be left dangerously exposed in the event of a complete US withdrawal.

While President Trump claimed that “the UK was very thrilled by this decision” the immediate response has been scathing.

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Former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood told The Times : Trump has got this wrong. This is not the way to secure long-term peace given the colossal efforts to break down Daesh. We are dropping the ball.”

Even among his allies, President Trump’s decision is being questioned, with Republican Senator Lindsey O. Graham calling the decision “a major blunder” that “cuts against sound military and geopolitical advice.”

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He continued that this was “an impulsive decision that has long-term ramifications”

Tensions are already increasing in the area. Mustafa Bali, speaking on behalf of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said the US withdrawal would turn the area “into a war zone”, adding that the SDF would “defend north-east Syria at all costs”.

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