A picture taken on April 2, 2018 shows a general view of a US military base in the al-Asaliyah village, between the city of Aleppo and the northern town of Manbij (Photo: AFP/ VNA)

His comment contradicts the commander of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who has said it will take another week. Mr. Trump was addressing troops at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson during a refueling stop in Alaska on his way home from Vietnam.

On Thursday, SDF commander, Mazloum Kobani, said the SDF will be able to announce “complete victory over the Islamic State in a week.”