U.S. to Withdraw All Troops From Syria

The United States has begun a full military withdrawal from Syria, marking the end of a decade-long deployment initially aimed at defeating terror group ISIS (Daesh). According to The Wall Street Journal, three American officials confirmed that the pullout is already underway and expected to conclude within two months.

Bases Already Vacated

U.S. forces have reportedly completed withdrawals from the Al Tanf garrison near the Syrian-Jordanian-Iraqi border and from the Al-Shaddadi base in northeastern Syria. Remaining positions are scheduled to close in phases.

Officials emphasized that the decision is not connected to current U.S. naval and air deployments in the Middle East, where Washington has positioned significant assets amid tensions with Iran. Tehran has warned it would retaliate against American forces in the region if airstrikes occur.

Shifting Dynamics in Syria

The Trump administration has concluded that a continued U.S. troop presence is no longer necessary, citing the near-total disbandment of the YPG terror group, Washington’s primary partner in the fight against ISIS (Daesh) terror group.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara, in a swift operation last month, consolidated control over the vast majority of areas controlled by the terrorist organization. Damascus and the YPG later agreed to a fragile, U.S.-backed cease-fire, with the YPG committing to integration into the Syrian army.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani to discuss counterterrorism coordination and maintaining the cease-fire framework.

Security Concerns Remain

Some U.S. and foreign officials have expressed concern that a reduced American footprint could embolden Damascus to abandon its cease-fire commitments or create space for ISIS to reemerge. Others argue that the remaining U.S. forces primarily served as a political signal rather than a decisive counterterrorism force.

The withdrawal also aims to reduce the risk of friction with Syrian government forces, which U.S. officials say include elements with extremist affiliations. In December, two U.S. soldiers and an American civilian interpreter were killed by a Syrian security member reportedly holding extremist views.

Echoes of 2018

This is not the first such move. During his first term, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of roughly 2,000 troops from Syria after declaring victory over ISIS, a decision that triggered internal resistance and led then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign.

Although several hundred troops ultimately remained to guard oil fields, former Syria envoy Jim Jeffrey later suggested the administration had obscured actual troop numbers from leadership.

The latest decision signals a decisive shift in U.S. strategy in Syria, potentially redefining Washington’s role in the country while leaving open questions about regional stability and counterterrorism efforts.