American forces begin exit from Syria, troop levels to drop below 1,000

Express Tribune

19-04-2025

Listen to article
The United States has begun withdrawing around 600 troops from Syria, the Pentagon confirmed on Friday, marking a significant shift in its military posture in the region.
The reduction will bring the total number of American forces in the country to under 1,000 in the coming months.
The move is being described by the Department of Defense as a 'consolidation' of forces and a response to changing conditions on the ground, particularly in the wake of recent developments in Syria and the broader Middle East.
'This is a deliberate and conditions-based process,' said Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell in a statement. 'Recognising the success the United States has had against ISIS (Daesh), including its territorial defeat in 2019, the Secretary of Defense has directed a repositioning of US forces to select locations under Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.'
While the Pentagon has not publicly detailed which locations will be affected, The New York Times reported that three outposts in northeastern Syria are being shuttered: Mission Support Site Green Village, M.S.S. Euphrates, and a smaller unnamed facility.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the closures and noted that the troops have already begun redeploying.
The United States had maintained roughly 900 troops in Syria for several years following ISIS's territorial defeat, serving as both a counterterrorism force and a stabilising presence alongside Kurdish allies in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
However, the troop count was raised to over 2,000 in late 2023, following attacks on US interests in the region by Iranian-backed groups, which came in response to the war in Gaza.
The Pentagon's decision to now reduce troop numbers is not without risks. ISIS claimed 294 attacks in Syria in 2024, more than double the 121 attacks recorded in 2023, according to a US defence official. So far in 2025, the militant group has carried out at least 44 attacks, according to the Middle East Institute.
In January, three American soldiers were killed in Jordan by a drone launched by an Iran-aligned militia. That incident sparked further debate in Washington over the future of US involvement in the region.
The troop drawdown also follows the collapse of Bashar al Assad's regime in December 2024, a major turning point in Syria's more than decade-long civil war. Since then, some displaced Syrians have returned home, but large areas of the country remain unstable, and violence continues to flare.
Despite the reduction, US officials say the remaining forces will continue to support the fight against ISIS and deter Iranian-backed militias. They also serve as a buffer between Kurdish forces and Turkish military operations. The YPG/SDF is the Syrian branch of the PKK, which is recognsised as a terror group by the US, UK, EU, Turkiye and NATO.
During his first term, President Donald Trump attempted a full withdrawal from Syria in 2018, but the plan met resistance from Pentagon leadership and led to the resignation of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
Trump's new administration has reiterated its aim to reduce military commitments abroad while still maintaining pressure on terrorist groups.
The Pentagon stressed that the drawdown will not compromise mission objectives.
'Our remaining forces will be able to maintain pressure on ISIS and respond to any terrorist threats that arise,' Parnell said.
Officials have not indicated whether further reductions are planned, but analysts say the consolidation reflects a longer-term recalibration of US military priorities in the Middle East.