US to Withdraw All Troops from Syria

JAKARTA - The United States has decided to withdraw the remaining troops in Syria in the next two months, with a number of about 1,000 personnel, after a gradual withdrawal over the past few months.

Citing a source, the Wall Street Journal report said Washington judged the presence of the US military in Syria was no longer needed as security conditions in the country changed.

The assessment is based on the near-complete dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and YPG and their integration into the Syrian state structure, so that the initial US mission to fight ISIS through local partners is considered complete.

The US military, according to reports, has also completed the withdrawal of troops from the Al-Tanf garrison, the main forward post near the Syrian border with Jordan and Iraq, as well as from the Al-Shaddadi base in northeastern Syria earlier this month.

The report confirms the withdrawal of troops is not related to the current deployment of US naval and air forces in the Middle East, which is aimed at anticipating a possible attack on Iran if nuclear negotiations fail.

Iran has previously warned it would target American forces in the region in response to any US air raids.

Citing a senior US official, the report said the troop withdrawal was carried out as the Syrian government took over counter-terrorism efforts, adding that US forces could still respond to the threat posed by ISIS.

However, a number of US and foreign officials have warned that a reduction in American presence risks weakening the ceasefire and allowing ISIS to rise again. Meanwhile, others assess that the remaining US forces serve more as a political signal than a substantial counter-terrorism force.