U.S. prepares for reduction of military presence in Syria – Reuters
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Washington is preparing to reduce its military presence in Syria by half in the coming weeks, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two U.S. officials.
One of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that consolidation could reduce the number of troops in Syria to about 1,000.
Another U.S. official confirmed the plan for a reduction, but said there was no certainty on numbers and was skeptical of a decrease of that scale at a time when President Donald Trump’s administration has been negotiating with Iran and building up forces in the region.
Meanwhile, the Russian news agency Novosti quoted a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense denying any planned troop reduction. The Pentagon official stated that U.S. forces are routinely redeployed based on operational needs and field conditions, describing such movements as part of the military’s flexible defense strategy designed to respond to evolving security threats.
These troop movements reflect the adaptability of U.S. defense strategy and the capacity for rapid deployment to global hotspots, the spokesperson said, while firmly denying any drawdown in Syria.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported that senior White House officials had informed Tel Aviv of President Donald Trump’s intention to withdraw part of the U.S. military contingent from Syria. Similarly, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth indicated that the U.S. is preparing for a gradual withdrawal from Syrian territory.
In 2019, Trump’s decision during his first term in office to withdraw American forces from northern Syria drew criticism from U.S. officials who argued it opened the door for Turkish military operations in the region.
Currently, the number of U.S. troops in Syria is estimated at around 2,000, primarily stationed in the northeast. However, this figure is not officially confirmed.
So far, the U.S. Department of Defense has not issued an official statement regarding the reported reduction.