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The United States is reportedly preparing to pull all of its remaining troops from Syria.
Getting into it: First reported by the Wall Street Journal and picked up by other US-based outlets, US officials say roughly 1,000 American service members will withdraw over the next two months, formally ending a military mission that began in 2015 to fight ISIS. Two installations (one in Syria’s south near the Iraqi and Jordanian frontiers and another in the country’s northeast) have already been vacated, with additional drawdowns set to occur in stages. Officials describe the process as a “deliberate and conditions-based transition,” meaning the withdrawal will move forward in stages rather than all at once, depending on security conditions on the ground.
Administration officials say the withdrawal is happening because a large US military presence is no longer necessary now that Syria’s new government under President al-Sharaa has agreed to take the lead in combating terrorist threats within its own borders. US officials say Syrian authorities have committed to continuing counterterrorism operations against ISIS and preventing the country from becoming a safe haven for extremist groups. Although US troops will no longer maintain a footprint inside Syria, American forces stationed in the Middle East will retain the capability to strike ISIS targets if intelligence indicates a renewed threat.
A major factor in the decision is the changing role of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Kurdish-led militia group that has been the United States’ main partner in fighting ISIS for nearly a decade. The SDF has controlled large parts of northeastern Syria and helped guard prisons and camps holding thousands of ISIS fighters and their families. Recently, after clashes with Syrian government forces, the SDF agreed to integrate into Syria’s national military structure.
Still, the withdrawal has raised concerns among some US and foreign officials who worry that ISIS could exploit the reduced American presence. Critics, like US Senator Lindsey Graham, argue that even a small number of US troops serving as a stabilizing force would help deter both extremist groups and renewed conflict between Syrian factions.
There are also fears that if the ceasefire between the Syrian government and former SDF forces breaks down, or if security weakens around detention centers holding ISIS suspects, ISIS could attempt to regroup and regain strength in parts of the country.
