The United States is planning to reduce its military presence in Syria over the next few weeks and months.
According to a report by news agency Reuters on Tuesday (April 15), two U.S. officials stated that the U.S. is planning to limit its military presence in Syria in the coming weeks and months. As a result, the number of American troops deployed in the country could be reduced by nearly half.
Currently, around 2,000 U.S. troops are stationed at several bases across northeastern Syria. They are working alongside the local Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State (IS).
One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, mentioned that under the planned strategy, the number of troops could be reduced to about 1,000. However, another official said that no final decision on the numbers has been made yet, and there are doubts about such a significant reduction in light of the Trump administration’s current Middle East strategy.
The U.S. has already deployed B-2 bombers, warships, and air defense systems in the Middle East. On Monday, President Donald Trump said that Iran is deliberately slowing down the pace of nuclear deal negotiations, and if it attempts to acquire nuclear weapons, there could be military strikes on its nuclear facilities.
The report also states that after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, a new Islamist-led government has come to power in Syria. This government is trying to restore stability in the country and rebuild international relations. In a recent agreement, the SDF and the Syrian central government have agreed to integrate the Kurdish-controlled administrative and security structures.