The US administration is in the process of withdrawing nearly 1,000 of its troops from Syria, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) citing three senior US officials.
The move begins with the withdrawal of troops from the al-Tanf base in southern Syria, near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, which was previously the main center of operations against ISIL.
CENTCOM described the withdrawal as an “orderly cessation” and part of a conditions-based transition.
However, the WSJ reported that a larger-scale withdrawal is expected to occur within the next two months.
The Trump administration has been considering this move since January, despite escalating tensions between the US and Iran.
Interestingly, the decision to withdraw troops is not directly related to the increased US naval and air presence in the Middle East due to threats from Iran.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford is heading to the region as part of a more assertive military response.
Instead, US officials said the withdrawal was part of a new deal aimed at reshaping Syria’s security structure.
The deal aims to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key US partner in the war against ISIL, into the official Syrian army.
The arrangement comes as Syrian government forces under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa seek to assert control over the SDF-held northeastern region.
Previous fighting between the two sides has raised the risk of a wider confrontation in the area.
The deal, signed on 29 January, paves the way for a fragile ceasefire and talks on the integration of the two sides.
The US has described the move as a move towards national unity and stability after years of division in Syria.
But the big question remains: does the withdrawal truly represent a long-term US strategy to address the Syrian conflict and Iranian influence in the Middle East, or simply a step back due to geopolitical pressures?
In a situation of escalating tensions, this decision has the potential to open up space for the influence of other powers in Syria and erode the US presence, which has been considered a stabilizing factor in the region.
