The United States has sharply reduced its military footprint in Syria, with plans to consolidate to a single base, as relations improve with Damascus following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

U.S. special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack confirmed the drawdown during an interview with Turkey’s NTV, citing regional realignments and a shift in Washington’s posture. “We’ve gone from eight bases, to five, to three. We’ll eventually go to one,” Barrack stated.

He emphasized the need for regional actors to shoulder more responsibility: “There’s an opportunity to have a new dialogue for everybody in the region free of American intervention.”

SDF Integrates with Central Government Amid Transition

The YPG/PKK-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), once America’s key ally against ISIS, have begun integrating into the new Syrian government’s military and civil institutions. The move follows fears of abandonment under Trump’s renewed aversion to extended U.S. military deployments.

With more than 60,000 fighters, the SDF has long operated a de facto autonomous region in northeast Syria. Their presence along the Turkish border had also drawn repeated incursions by Ankara.

ISIS Resurfaces in Southern Syria

Though militarily defeated in 2019, ISIS has capitalized on the current power vacuum, launching recent attacks in Sweida province. The area, governed by the Druze minority, has resisted central government deployments, complicating state consolidation efforts.

The U.S. has continued limited airstrikes to prevent ISIS resurgence but insists its role is winding down.

Warnings Over ISIS Detention Sites

The SDF continues to manage prisons and camps holding tens of thousands of ISIS fighters and families. Washington has warned that a full U.S. exit without Damascus assuming responsibility could lead to serious security lapses.

Pentagon officials say the drawdown reflects “success against ISIS,” but analysts caution that the timing could enable jihadist regrouping if not matched by robust local governance.