The US has reduced its troop numbers in Syria, with the Pentagon describing this as a “integration” that mirrors the evolving security situation as assessed by the Department of Defense.
“The United States acknowledges its achievements against ISIS, which was territorially defeated in 2019 during President Trump’s administration. Currently, the Secretary of Defense has initiated the integration of US forces in Syria, merging them with the Syrian joint task force.
Parnell mentioned that this withdrawal is a “deliberate and conditional process” intended to bring US forces in Syria down to fewer than 1,000 in the approaching months.
This reduction follows a period where US troop numbers escalated from 900 to 2,000 in December under the Biden administration, which intensified concerns regarding threats posed by ISIS and Iranian-backed militias in the area.
The Pentagon’s announcement on Friday did not specify the locations from which the troops would be withdrawn; The New York Times reported that on Thursday, US forces shut down three of eight small forward bases in northeastern Syria and extracted about 600 personnel. Two US officials indicated this involved the Mission Support Site Green Village and MSS Euphrates, along with another small facility.
This action follows President Trump’s effort to withdraw all US troops from Syria in 2018 during his initial term, which faced resistance from Pentagon leaders. Defense officials contended that such a withdrawal would effectively desert the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led militia that assisted the US in defeating ISIS in the country. The disagreement between Trump and his generals led to the resignation of his first Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis.
The withdrawal of 600 American soldiers from Syria will likely maintain the same troop level that has existed for years post the ISIS defeat in 2019. Washington plans to keep approximately 900 personnel in the area to thwart extremist groups from re-emerging, counter Iran-backed militias, and deter Turkey from launching assaults on Kurdish forces.
While the Pentagon assures that remaining forces will “continue to exert pressure on ISIS and address other terrorist threats that may arise,” the decision made during the Trump administration does come with the risk of increased attacks on American bases noted over the past year.
According to defense officials, ISIS conducted 294 attacks in Syria last year, a significant rise from 121 in 2023, as reported by The Times.
ISIS has executed at least 44 attacks in Syria since the beginning of this year, as per Washington’s Institute of Middle East.
Additionally, three US service members lost their lives in Jordan due to a drone strike carried out by an Iran-backed faction in January 2024.
This troop reduction also occurs following the downfall of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s regime in December.
