By Wallace White, Daily Caller News Foundation | February 05, 2025
The Trump administration is reportedly developing a plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, marking an end to the decade-long excursion in the region, two defense sources told NBC News on Wednesday.
The Department of Defense (DOD) is reportedly drafting a plan to withdraw all 2,000 troops from Syria in either 30, 60 or 90 days, sources told NBC News. Since 2014, the U.S. has maintained a troop presence in the region, mainly to fight the Islamic State out of its headquarters at al-Tanf in southern Syria.
Trump previously expressed his desire to avoid involvement in the region’s civil war, which reignited after a long quiet period after Islamic fundamentalist rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swiftly toppled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.
“I don’t know who said that. I mean, I don’t know who said that, but we’ll make a determination on that. We’re not getting, we’re not involved in Syria,” Trump said on Jan. 28 in response to rumors that he had informed Israel of his intentions. “Syria is its own mess. They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in everyone.”
US officials warned in December of the possible jailbreak of thousands of ISIS fighters if Turkish-backed rebels in the north continued to advance on Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the U.S.’ Kurdish ally. The U.S. works with the SDF in its anti-ISIS mission, providing training, air and logistical support.
The Pentagon under former President Joe Biden repeatedly claimed there were 900 troops stationed in Syria, however, the number was revised to the current 2,000 troop figure, with then-Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder saying in a December press conference that he had “recently learned” the new number, with the White House equally ignorant as to the reason for the revision.
The new HTS government has so far held stable, but interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has not established ties with the Trump administration yet, according to Reuters.
HTS was designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2018 under the Trump administration, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The group first organized in 2017 when the former leader of al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, split with the organization over strategic differences.
The Pentagon deferred to the White House, who did not immediately respond when the Daily Caller News Foundation requested comment.
Wallace White is a reporter at the Daily Caller News Foundation
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