The United States has begun a full withdrawal of its roughly 2,000 troops from Syria, bringing an end to nearly a decade of military presence, according to U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The drawdown—expected to take about two months—has already included the departure of forces from key positions such as the Al-Shaddadi base in the Hasakah countryside and the Al-Tanf garrison in the Homs desert near the Jordanian-Iraqi border triangle, the newspaper reported Thursday.
A U.S. official described the process as “conditions-based,” indicating Washington could reassess the decision if the Islamic State (ISIS) shows signs of a significant resurgence.
Strategic Shift
Officials quoted in the report said the Trump administration concluded that a continued U.S. military presence in Syria was no longer necessary following the near-total collapse of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—Washington’s primary partner in the fight against ISIS—after recent clashes with Syrian government forces.
The withdrawal places greater responsibility on the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to continue countering ISIS, the Journal noted.
U.S. and foreign officials have voiced concern that a reduced American footprint could allow Damascus to breach ceasefire arrangements with the SDF or create openings for ISIS to reorganize. A senior administration official said U.S. forces would retain the ability to respond to ISIS-related threats in the region. Other analysts observed that the small remaining U.S. presence had become more politically symbolic—supporting Kurdish forces and the new Syrian government—than operationally decisive in counterterrorism efforts.
Handover to Syrian Forces
The withdrawal follows January reports that Washington was weighing a full pullout after new understandings with President al-Sharaa’s government.
On Sunday, the Syrian Defense Ministry announced it had assumed control of the Al-Shaddadi military base from U.S. forces, amid accelerating American withdrawals from northeastern Syria to Iraq after developments that brought former SDF-held areas under government authority.
The ministry’s Media and Communication Department told the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that Syrian army units received the base following coordination with the U.S. side.
Days earlier, the ministry said it had taken control of the Al-Tanf base on the Iraq-Jordan border as part of ongoing coordination between Syrian and American officials. The ministry confirmed it had fully secured the base and surrounding areas and that Syrian forces had begun deploying along the Syrian-Iraqi-Jordanian border in the Al-Tanf desert—an effort aimed at consolidating control and strengthening the military’s presence.
Border guard units are expected to take up their duties in the coming days as part of an organizational plan to manage and secure border crossings.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
