BEIRUT - The Syrian government said on Thursday that a US military presence in Syria represented an "aggression" against Syrian sovereignty, and vowed to free the country from any "illegitimate" foreign presence.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry statement was a response to a speech by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday in which he signaled that US forces would stay in parts of Syria indefinitely.
"The American military presence on Syrian land is illegitimate and represents a blatant breach of international law and an aggression against national sovereignty," the statement said.
Syria would continue its "relentless war against terrorist movements with their different names until every inch of Syrian soil is cleansed" and would work with "the same determination" to free Syria of any "illegitimate foreign presence."