U.S. refocuses anti-ISIS mission on Syria amid Iraq drawdown
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United States will maintain its focus on combating Islamic State (ISIS) remnants in Syria even as it begins scaling back its military mission in neighboring Iraq, the Pentagon said on Sep. 30.
The move comes amid renewed concern over the lingering presence of ISIS militants and the risk that thousands of detainees held in prisons across northeast Syria could escape.
According to a U.S. defense official speaking on condition of anonymity, while Baghdad will assume command of efforts to counter ISIS within Iraq, U.S. and Coalition forces will continue their counterterrorism mission primarily inside Syria.
Most Coalition personnel are expected to shift to Iraq’s Kurdistan region to support that mission, the official said.
The official reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to the “conditions-based” approach to troop reductions in Syria, signaling no imminent changes to its current posture there.
The official added that the U.S. remains in a “status quo situation” regarding Syria operations, underscoring the country’s central role in ongoing regional counterterrorism efforts.
Despite the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2019, the group continues to operate through sleeper cells in several parts of Syria, particularly in the desert areas of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Homs.
The U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) regularly carry out joint raids targeting ISIS cells.
However, security officials warn that instability, overcrowded detention centers, and deteriorating camp conditions still pose a significant risk of ISIS resurgence.