WSJ: US weighs full troop withdrawal from Syria

Washington is weighing a complete withdrawal of US troops from Syria, according to US officials, who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

The plans come as Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa moves to take control of the country’s northeast following the near-collapse of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

A full pullout would end a US military mission that began in 2014 under former President Barack Obama during Syria’s civil war. The reassessment comes after Sharaa’s government ordered the SDF to disband following a rapid weekend offensive that stripped the group of key territory, including a military base, oil facilities and a dam on the Euphrates River. Under a subsequent ceasefire, the SDF handed over Raqqa and Deir Ezzour, while Syrian government forces took control of major border crossings and oil installations. The SDF still holds Kobani and Hasakah, cities with large Kurdish populations.

About 1,000 US troops remain in Syria, mostly in the northeast alongside the SDF, with a small contingent at Al Tanf garrison in the south. Their core mission has been to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State. Until the recent offensive, the SDF was guarding roughly 9,000 ISIS detainees. US officials said the Pentagon is now questioning the viability of the mission after the SDF’s defeat.

One key factor is the fate of the ISIS prisoners. The US has begun transferring about 7,000 detainees to Iraq amid fears of escapes as Syrian government forces take over detention sites. Last week, 200 prisoners briefly escaped from Shaddadi prison after SDF forces withdrew, but were recaptured by Sharaa’s troops. Analysts said moving the detainees removes one of the main reasons for maintaining a US presence.

US officials also cited concerns about working with Sharaa’s army, which they say includes jihadist sympathisers and individuals linked to al Qaeda, ISIS and alleged war crimes. Tensions have already brought Syrian forces close to US troops: American forces shot down at least one Syrian government drone near a US facility, and Syrian forces attacked SDF barracks at the same base. In December, two US soldiers and an American civilian interpreter were killed near Palmyra by a Syrian security force member later found to hold extremist views.

Despite these factors, analysts warn that ISIS remains a significant threat, with hundreds of attacks carried out in Syria last year. President Donald Trump, who has publicly praised Sharaa and hosted him at the White House last year, said the Syrian leader is working to secure the prisons, while also stressing continued concern for Kurdish security.

By Tamilla Hasanova