US considers Syria troop withdrawal amid escalating clashes

Washington: The United States is reportedly contemplating a withdrawal of its troops from Syria as the Syrian government intensifies its offensive against American-backed militias, raising concerns over the security of Islamic State detainees and the stability of Kurdish-led forces. With approximately 800 to 1,000 US soldiers currently stationed in the country, Washington faces mounting challenges as Damascus seeks to disarm groups formed during the civil war.

Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharra has launched a military campaign targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which the US once relied upon as a key ally against ISIS. According to a Middle East Eye report, the potential collapse of the SDF could force a full US troop pullout. US officials told The Wall Street Journal that cooperating with the Syrian Army is untenable due to its ranks including "jihadist sympathizers" and perpetrators of mass killings against Kurdish and Druze minorities.

The SDF's diminishing control over northeastern Syria has created acute security risks, particularly at detention camps holding around 7,000 Islamic State fighters from over 50 countries, including France, Egypt, the UK, Belgium, Tunisia, Germany, Iraq, Sweden, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands. Clashes between the SDF and Syrian Army have further complicated the situation for US forces stationed in the region.

In response to the instability, the US Central Command initiated the transfer of 150 ISIS detainees to a secure camp in Iraq on January 21, with plans to relocate all prisoners out of Syria. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed Iraq's cooperation in a statement released Thursday, saying, "The United States welcomes the Government of Iraq’s initiative to detain ISIS terrorists in secure facilities in Iraq, following recent instability in northeast Syria."