US to reduce forces in Syria to under 1,000 in coming months, Pentagon says
A US soldier holds a dog as forces patrol in Syria's northeastern city Qamishli, in the al-Hasakah province, Syria on Jan. 9, 2025. (AFP Photo)
The Pentagon announced Friday that it is consolidating U.S. forces in Syria under the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, with troop numbers set to fall to under 1,000 in the coming months.
“Recognizing the success the United States has had against Daesh terror group, including its 2019 territorial defeat under President Trump, today the Secretary of Defense directed the consolidation of U.S. forces in Syria under Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve to select locations in Syria,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
Parnell emphasized that the consolidation reflects the “significant” steps the U.S. has made in degrading the operational capability of the Daesh terror group both regionally and globally.
“This deliberate and conditions-based process will bring the U.S. footprint in Syria down to less than 1,000 U.S. forces in the coming months,” Parnell said.
US begins withdrawing hundreds of troops in Syria
The New York Times reported Thursday that the U.S. has started a significant drawdown of its forces in Syria, citing two senior officials. According to the report, the number of operating bases in the northeast is being reduced from eight to five, and troop levels are dropping from approximately 2,000 to 1,400.
The withdrawal comes amid a dramatic shift in Syria’s political landscape. On December 8, opposition groups seized control of Damascus, causing regime leader Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia and ending the Baath Party’s decades-long rule.
The U.S. military first deployed troops to Syria in 2014 as part of an international coalition to combat the Daesh terror group. At the peak of the campaign, U.S. troop levels in Syria ranged from 2,000 to 2,500. These numbers have fluctuated over the years due to changing strategic priorities and partial withdrawals.
A Pentagon report from late 2024 indicated that around 2,000 American personnel remained in Syria at the time.
‘Syria is its own mess’: Trump
The U.S. presence in Syria has remained a contentious issue throughout Trump’s presidency. Previous attempts to withdraw troops were met with resistance from military leaders and lawmakers concerned about regional stability and the resurgence of extremist groups.
In a significant policy move in 2019, Trump ordered a withdrawal of U.S. forces from northern Syria, triggering bipartisan criticism in Washington and leading several senior defense officials to resign.
Despite the reduction in forces, the U.S. has continued operations in eastern Syria, particularly near key oil infrastructure, and maintains a presence at the strategic al-Tanf garrison near the Jordanian border. This contingent includes mechanized infantry and armored units focused on counterterrorism operations and deterring adversarial activities.
Trump, who ran his 2024 campaign on promises to end “forever wars,” reiterated his stance ahead of his January 2025 inauguration.
“Syria is its own mess. They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in everyone,” Trump said in January. “We’re not getting—we’re not involved in Syria.”
