US to withdraw all troops from Syria: Report

By Fatma Zehra Solmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US has decided to pull its remaining troops from Syria, which number around 1,000, after gradual drawdowns over the past months, a report said Wednesday.

Citing US officials, The Wall Street Journal said the withdrawal is expected to take place over the next two months. The report said Washington concluded that a US military presence in Syria is no longer required, citing the near-complete dissolution of the YPG/SDF and its subsequent integration into the Syrian state structure, rendering the original US mission to fight ISIS (Daesh) via local partners effectively over.

The US military already finalized its pullout from the Al-Tanf garrison, a key outpost near the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq, as well as from the Al-Shaddadi base in northeastern Syria earlier this month, it noted.

The report further said the withdrawal was not linked to the current US naval and air deployments in the Middle East, which are aimed at potential strikes on Iran if nuclear talks collapse. It said Iran had also warned that it would target American forces in the region in response to any US airstrikes.

Citing a senior US official, it said the withdrawal was underway as the Syrian government takes over counterterrorism efforts, adding that US forces can still respond to any ISIS threats.

According to The Wall Street Journal, some US and foreign officials warned that a reduced American presence could risk a ceasefire breakdown and allow ISIS to regroup, while others said the remaining troops mainly served as a political signal rather than a substantial counterterrorism force.