The United States is weighing a complete withdrawal of its military forces from Syria, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal citing American officials familiar with the discussions.
US forces have operated in Syria for more than a decade alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which this month reached an agreement with the government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The deal includes provisions to integrate SDF members into Syria’s national military and security institutions, a development that has prompted Washington to reassess the purpose of its continued deployment.
US officials believe the American military presence may no longer be strategically necessary following the effective dissolution of the SDF. As part of broader security arrangements, detained fighters from the Islamic State group, known as ISIS, are expected to be transferred from Syria to Iraq, where they would be held in prisons in Baghdad and several southern provinces.
President Donald Trump previously ordered the withdrawal of around 2,000 US troops from Syria in late 2018, a move that led to the resignation of then-defence secretary Jim Mattis. That decision was later partially reversed after intervention by senior advisers, leaving a residual US force in the country.
At present, roughly 1,000 American troops remain deployed in Syria. Most are stationed at facilities in the northeast in cooperation with local forces, while a smaller contingent is based at the al-Tanf garrison near the southern border. The core mission of these troops has been to prevent the resurgence of ISIS.
According to the report, shifting realities on the ground and rapid developments over the past week have led the Pentagon to question the long-term viability of the US mission. Officials cited incidents in which Syrian government forces reportedly moved dangerously close to American positions during operations against Kurdish elements. In one case, US forces are said to have downed at least one drone near a US installation.
One official told the newspaper that, within a 24-hour period, Syrian forces launched an attack on SDF barracks located inside a base that also hosts US troops, underscoring the growing risks of accidental confrontation.
The Wall Street Journal noted that no final decision has yet been made. Ongoing deliberations are said to hinge on security and political assessments, including the future of coordination with local partners, the risk of extremist groups re-emerging, and broader calculations about the role of the United States in the Middle East.
Follow the latest news on Google News
