The U.S. is preparing for a pullout of all troops stationed in Syria, readying to end its military presence deployed to fight against ISIS in the country, two U.S. officials told The Hill on Wednesday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move comes as the U.S. military has withdrawn service members from the al-Shaddadi base in northeast Syria and from al-Tanf base, a key military outpost in the southeastern part of the nation, earlier this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A senior U.S. administration official told The Hill on Wednesday that \u201csome\u201d U.S. personnel are departing Syria as part of a \u201cdeliberate and conditions-based transition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cU.S. forces remain poised to respond to any ISIS threats that arise in the region as we support partner-led efforts to prevent the terrorist network\u2019s resurgence,\u201d the administration officials said, but the U.S. presence \u201cat scale\u201d in the country is no longer needed given the willingness displayed by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa\u2019s government to take responsibility for addressing terrorist threats inside the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon declined to comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Wall Street Journal reported on the pullout earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Previous reports of the potential full withdrawal of troops from Syria prompted alarms among some foreign policy-focused Republicans on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The withdrawal comes as al-Sharaa\u2019s military led an offensive last month in northeastern Syria against the Kurdish-led militias of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S. partner in counterterrorism operations, capturing oil fields. The SDF and al-Sharaa\u2019s forces forged a fragile U.S.-supported ceasefire last month, and the Kurdish-led militias agreed to fold into Syria\u2019s defense ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani at the Munich Security Conference, where he noted the importance of holding the fragile ceasefire between the two sides and an integration deal in the country\u2019s northeast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Trump wanted to pull out all troops from Syria during his first term but was met with pushback from Pentagon officials, which ultimately resulted in then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis\u2019s resignation. Since then, the number of U.S. service members has fluctuated, going up following Hamas\u2019s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, but the Defense Department began pulling about 600 troops last year, pointing to the success in combating ISIS. Currently, there are fewer than 1,000 troops in Syria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPresident Trump is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors. This is a key element of the President\u2019s vision for a peaceful and prosperous Middle East,\u201d the administration officials said. \u201cA stable and sovereign Syria is critical for the region\u2019s stability. Syria must not become a base for terrorism or pose a threat to its neighbors and the wider world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n