U.S. cuts Syria troop presence in strategic pullback
The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Friday the planned withdrawal of about 1,000 soldiers from Syria, out of the approximately 2,000 currently deployed in the country to combat the terrorist group Islamic State (IS).
What you need to know
- Withdrawal of soldiers: The U.S. Department of Defense announced that in the coming months, the number of American soldiers in Syria will decrease to fewer than 1,000.
- Political changes: In December 2024, rebels overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad, leading to an agreement between the new government and the Kurds in March 2025.
- Support for the Kurds: The remaining U.S. soldiers will continue to support the Kurds in fighting terrorism and managing camps for IS fighters and their families.
U.S. withdrawing half of the troops from Syria
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated in a statement that following this decision, "in the coming months" the US military "will bring the U.S. footprint in Syria down to less than a thousand U.S. forces."
The "New York Times" reported on Thursday, citing sources in the U.S. government, that the U.S. Army will close three of the eight small military bases maintained in Syria.
Why is the U.S. reducing its contingent in Syria?
The United States has started drawing down hundreds of troops from northeastern Syria, a reflection of the shifting security environment in the country since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December, but also a move that carries risks—noted "NYT."
In March 2025, the new Syrian government signed an agreement with the Kurds controlling the northeastern part of the country, aiming to unite a nation divided by a civil war ongoing since 2011. The Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are the strongest group independent of the government in Damascus. Under the agreement, Kurdish civilian and military structures are to integrate with the central authority by the end of the year.
For years, the Kurds have been the main allies of the U.S. in the fight against the Islamic State. The terrorist group took over large swathes of Syria and Iraq more than 10 years ago but was later driven out.
The remaining American soldiers in Syria will continue to support the Kurds in combating terrorism, as well as managing camps where approximately 9,000-10,000 IS fighters are detained, along with around 35,000 members of their families—added "NYT."
Will the reduction of the contingent affect the region's stability?
After Assad's overthrow, IS activity increased, including the number of attacks carried out by this group. In the annual assessment presented to Congress in March by U.S. intelligence, it was noted that it might exploit the change in power in Syria to release prisoners and rebuild its strength.
The administration of President Donald Trump hopes that the new authorities in Damascus will cooperate in combating the resurgent IS, Washington officials told the newspaper. Initial signals are positive, and Syrian forces have already foiled several IS attacks thanks to intelligence information provided by the U.S.
There have already been reports in the media that the Trump administration may further reduce the contingent in Syria or completely withdraw troops from the country. Deeper U.S. troop cuts, however, could be in store, threatening the stability of that transition, wrote the New York newspaper.
