Turkish diplomatic sources have revealed that the United States recently re-evaluated its policy towards Syria in Washington, with discussions pointing to the possibility of a US military withdrawal between 2025 and 2026.
According to BBC Türkçe, the sources stated that “Ankara has received a message from the United States indicating that the issue of US forces withdrawing from Syria must be resolved through cooperation. However, the United States has not yet set a formal agenda for withdrawal.”
One of the assessments made in Ankara is that this review of US presence in Syria, initiated by the current administration, will likely continue even after Donald Trump returns to power. The Turkish government believes that an agreement between Turkey and the US may be reached within a joint framework.
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Diplomatic sources emphasized that “The United States can only end its presence in the region through a comprehensive agreement with Turkey.” They also suggested that Washington may request commitments from the Turkish government regarding the security of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and other Kurdish groups in Syria, while continuing the fight against ISIS.
Another critical issue, according to the sources, is the fate of the approximately 5,000 ISIS members detained by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and how to manage these detainees and their families, whose total number exceeds 50,000. “This issue has been under discussion by the members of the International Coalition for some time,” the sources noted.
Turkish officials also raised concerns about the potential consequences of a US withdrawal, particularly in the context of Russian and Iranian influence in Syria. There is ongoing debate about whether the Syrian government or Turkey and its allied factions would fill the power vacuum left by the US.
This comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated Turkey’s demands from the United States on November 8, the day after Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 US presidential election. Erdoğan stated: “We will continue our talks with Donald Trump in the new period, discussing how to shape the developments in the Middle East and how we will address the issue of US forces in Syria.”
Additionally, President Erdoğan hinted at the possibility of a new Turkish military operation in northern Syria, aiming to complete the “buffer zone” project, which Turkey seeks to establish with a depth of 30 km along its southern border.
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.
