Pentagon officials stated on Friday that the United States plans to gather its forces backing anti-ISIS efforts in Syria, cutting down the number of American troops in the nation to under 1,000 over the next few months.
Given the United States’ achievements against ISIS, notably its loss of territory in 2019 during President Trump’s tenure, the Secretary of Defense ordered the integration of U.S. forces in Syria. These troops will now be stationed at selected sites within the country as part of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve,” stated Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. “This realignment underscores our substantial progress in weakening ISIS’ influence both locally and internationally.
The Defense Department didn’t detail in their announcement the exact number of troops being pulled out. However, The New York Times mentioned on Thursday that around 600 soldiers will be withdrawn. Additionally, they refrained from offering a precise schedule for this move, simply mentioning it aims to reduce American presence in Syria below 1,000 personnel within the next few months.
“As this integration occurs, aligned with President Trump’s pledge to achieve peace via strength, U.S. Central Command will stay ready to carry out attacks against the leftover elements of ISIS in Syria,” Parnell stated. “Furthermore, we will collaborate tightly with competent and eager coalition allies to keep up the heat on ISIS and address any additional terrorist dangers that emerge.”
U.S. forces have played an essential role not just in combating the Islamic State but also as a safeguard for the Kurdish fighters against attacks from Turkey, which views these forces as being linked to terrorist organizations.
President Donald Trump attempted to remove all troops from Syria during his initial term, but he faced resistance from the Pentagon since this move was perceived as forsaking partners and resulted in
resignation
from ex-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
The departure of 600 troops would return force levels to where they had been for years, after the U.S. and its allies waged a multiyear campaign to defeat IS. The U.S. had maintained about 900 troops in Syria to ensure that the IS militants did not regain a foothold, but also as a hedge to prevent Iranian-backed militants from trafficking weapons across southern Syria.
The number of U.S. troops was raised to more than 2,000 after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas in Israel, as Iranian-backed militants targeted U.S. troops and interests in the region in response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Three American soldiers stationed in Jordan
were killed
by a drone launched by an Iran-supported faction in January 2024.
In December 2024, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
fled the country.
In the months since, Syrians displaced by more than a decade of war have returned home, but the country remains unstable. Israel has targeted Syrian weapons installations, and there are some indications that the Islamic State group is trying to reconstitute itself, and Iranian-backed militias in Syria remain a threat to U.S. interests.
