US to reduce military presence in Syria, keeping only one base operational

As part of a policy change announced by its new special envoy, the United States will consolidate operations in Syria and shut down the majority of its military installations.

President Donald Trump reaffirmed Washington’s past century of unsuccessful approaches to Syria by appointing Thomas Barrack as its special envoy and ambassador to Turkiye last month.

Barrack claimed that the troop reduction and base closures are the result of a tactical adjustment in an interview with NTV in Turkey on Monday.

Because none of these have worked, he said, “I can assure you that our current Syria policy will not be comparable to the Syria policy of the last 100 years.”

Seven out of eight bases, including those in Deir Az Zor province in eastern Syria, are expected to be closed down by US forces, with remaining operations centered in Hasakah, which is northeast.

Two security sources informed Reuters that relocation of US military equipment and personnel has already begun. According to a source, “All troops are being pulled from Deir Az Zor” in April.

Later, a representative from the US Department of State stated that troop levels would be changed “as needed,” depending on operational demands.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key partner in the US-led fight against ISIL (ISIS), are reportedly home to roughly 2, 000 American soldiers.

The SDF, which is dominated by the Kurdish militia People’s Protection Units (YPG), has long been in dispute with NATO’s Turkiye, who believes it has ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

A decades-long armed rebellion against the Turkish state was waged by the PKK, which recently announced its dissolution.

The SDF is now a priority for the US Congress, according to Barrack, who referred to them as “a very important factor” for the US Congress. Everyone must set reasonable standards, he said.

International cooperation with Damascus has resumed since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa. For the first time since 2012, Barrack recently raised the US flag over the ambassador’s Damascus residence.