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JUDY WOODRUFF: American troops 
began leaving Syria today, as 
a tense cease-fire held between

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Turkish and Syrian 
Kurdish forces.

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Where the Americans were 
once hailed as helping 
the Kurds defeat ISIS, 
today, many in Northeast

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Syria jeered and pelted 
American convoys with rotten 
vegetables and stones.

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And special correspondent Jane 
Ferguson, reporting tonight from 
Northwestern Iraq near the Syria

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border, encountered some of 
those evacuating U.S. forces.

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JANE FERGUSON: U.S. forces left 
the Northeast Syrian town of 
Tall Tamr under the cover of

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darkness.

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But protesters with signs 
blocked the convoys.

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One read, "Thanks for U.S. 
people, but Trump betrayed us."

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In the Kurdish held-town of 
Qamishli on the Turkish border, 
residents hurled potatoes.

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As they follow the president's 
orders and drive away, America's 
troops are leaving behind

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men they fought side by 
side with against ISIS.

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This weekend, U.S. Defense 
Secretary Mark Esper said most 
of the 1,000 troops leaving

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Northeast Syria are headed 
to Iraq to press the fight 
against remnants of ISIS.

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That came despite a tweet from 
President Trump saying he was 
-- quote -- "bringing soldiers

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home."

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Today, he added some U.S. 
forces will stay in Syria to 
protect Kurdish-held oil fields

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from ISIS and to fight ISIS.

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In Kabul, Afghanistan, 
Esper said the move 
would be deliberate.

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MARK ESPER, U.S. Defense 
Secretary: This withdrawal 
will take weeks, not days.

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Until that time, our forces will 
remain in the towns that are 
located near the oil fields.

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JANE FERGUSON: But we witnessed 
a withdrawal that appears to 
be well on its way, arriving

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across the border in Iraq, a 
massive column of U.S. Special 
Forces, on their way to a

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new base, American flags 
flying, as Iraq's Kurds 
watched from the street.

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In Washington today, President 
Trump modified his earlier 
explanation that all troops were

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coming out.

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DONALD TRUMP, President of the 
United States: Well, they're 
going to be sent initially to

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different parts, get 
prepared, and then ultimately 
we're bringing them home.

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We're bringing our 
troops back home.

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We never agreed to 
protect the Kurds for 
the rest of their lives.

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JANE FERGUSON: The U.S. brokered 
a five-day cease-fire last 
Thursday after nearly a week

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of bloodshed along the border.

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It came amid widespread panic 
over possible war crimes 
committed by Turkish-backed Arab

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militias and the threat 
of ethnic cleansing 
against the Kurds.

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As part of the deal, the Kurds 
agreed to withdraw from within 
20 miles of the Turkish border

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in areas where fighting 
is already under way.

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Over the weekend, there was 
some fraying of the fragile 
cease-fire, with shelling across

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the Turkish-Syrian border.

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Each side accused the 
other of aggression.

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Kurdish leaders said shelling 
from the Turkish army killed 
at least 17 people in the town

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of Ras al-Ayn.

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TALAAT YOUNIS, Kurdish 
official (through translator): 
The Turkish army and 
its mercenaries didn't

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stop their intensive 
attacks, aiming to wipe 
out everybody, and even 
now the shelling continues.

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JANE FERGUSON: In Istanbul 
today, Turkey's foreign minister 
said it was the Kurds who

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initiated.

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He said the Kurds were still 
honoring the pact, but added 
that Turkey would resume its

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operations if the Kurds 
don't leave the border areas.

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MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, 
Turkish Foreign Minister 
(through translator): 
Harassment fires continue.

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I think around 30 harassment 
fires already came.

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And we lost one soldier.

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And we, of course -- as we 
agreed with the Americans, 
we have retaliated.

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If they don't withdraw, 
our operation will restart.

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JANE FERGUSON: Amid the 
upheaval, not just fighters are 
fleeing, but terrified civilians

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too.

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The United Nations says more 
than 176,000 people have been 
uprooted from their homes

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in Northeast Syria, 
including 70,000 children.

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Some of them end up 
in camps like this, in 
Bandarash in Northwest Iraq.

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Here we met Kasuma Abdul, one 
of many mothers who now fears 
she may be forced to raise her

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children as refugees.

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When will you return?

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KASUMA ABDUL, Kurdish Refugee 
(through translator): When will 
it become a settled country, how

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we need it to be?

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We are afraid to return.

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There is shelling, warplanes 
and soldiers there.

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JANE FERGUSON: More like her 
arrive at the camp every day 
from their homes inside Syria.

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For people here, there 
is such an incredible 
degree of uncertainty.

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And that's because their lives 
are impacted by a foreign 
policy that changes by the day.

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One thing everyone we spoke 
with was certain of was who 
they blame for this crisis.

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KANIWAR ABDUL HAMID, Kurdish 
Refugee (through translator): 
Trump is responsible.

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He betrayed the Kurds.

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Children have died . 
People have been displaced.

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All these people in these 
tents, it's Trump's fault.

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He took the decision.

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He sold out the Kurds.

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JANE FERGUSON: Kurds like 
Kaniwar Abdul Hamid told us they 
believe strongly the American

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soldiers don't want to leave.

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KANIWAR ABDUL HAMID (through 
translator): It's not the 
American military's fault.

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It was the president's decision.

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The military has 
to follow orders.

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JANE FERGUSON: Tomorrow, the 
cease-fire between Turkey and 
the Kurds is set to expire.

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For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm 
Jane Ferguson in Dohuk, Iraq.