Latest news with #USWithdrawal
News24
5 days ago
- Politics
- News24
US pulls out of two more bases in Syria, worrying Kurdish forces
US forces have exited multiple northeastern Syria bases, leading to gaps in combating Islamic State threats. Syria sees an increasing ISIS presence, with activities near closed US bases and attacks on SDF forces. SDF expresses insufficient troop presence to contain ISIS, emphasising efforts to maintain pressure on the group. US forces have pulled out of two more bases in northeastern Syria, visiting Reuters reporters found, accelerating a troop drawdown that the commander of US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces said was allowing a resurgence of Islamic State. Reuters reporters who visited the two bases in the past week found them mostly deserted, both guarded by small contingents of the Syrian Democratic Forces - the Kurdish-led military group that Washington has backed in the fight against Islamic State for a decade. Cameras used on bases occupied by the US-led military coalition had been taken down, and razor wire on the outer perimeters had begun to sag. A Kurdish politician who lives on one base said there were no longer US troops there. SDF guards at the second base said troops had left recently but declined to say when. The Pentagon declined to comment. It is the first confirmation by reporters on the ground that the US has withdrawn from Al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases in Hasaka province. This brings the number of bases in Syria US troops have left to at least four since President Donald Trump took office. Trump's administration said this month it will scale down its military presence in Syria to one base from eight in parts of northeastern Syria that the SDF controls. The New York Times reported in April that troops might be reduced from 2 000 to 500 in the drawdown. The SDF did not respond to questions about the current number of troops and open US bases in northeastern Syria. But SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, who spoke to Reuters at another US base, Al Shadadi, said the presence of a few hundred troops on one base would be "not enough" to contain the threat of Islamic State. He said: The threat of Islamic State has significantly increased recently. But this is the US military's plan. We've known about it for a long time ... and we're working with them to make sure there are no gaps, and we can maintain pressure on Islamic State. Abdi spoke to Reuters on Friday, hours after Israel launched its air war on Iran. He declined to comment on how the new Israel-Iran war would affect Syria, saying simply that he hoped it would not spill over there and that he felt safe on a US base. Hours after the interview, three Iranian-made missiles targeted the Al Shadadi base and were shot down by US defence systems, two SDF security sources said. ISIS active in Syrian cities Islamic State, also known as ISIS and Daesh, ruled vast swathes of Iraq and Syria from 2014 to 2017 during Syria's civil war, imposing a vision of Islamic rule under which it beheaded locals in city squares, sex-trafficked members of the Yazidi minority and executed foreign journalists and aid workers. The group, from its strongholds in Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, also launched deadly attacks in European and Middle Eastern countries. A US-led military Coalition of more than 80 countries waged a yearslong campaign to defeat the group and end its territorial control, supporting Iraqi forces and the SDF. READ | Syria investigates 'extremely disturbing instances' of minority revenge killings But Islamic State has been reinvigorated since the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December at the hands of separate Islamist rebels. Abdi said ISIS cells had become active in several Syrian cities, including Damascus, and that a group of foreign jihadists who once battled the Syrian regime had joined its ranks. He did not elaborate. He said ISIS had seized weapons and ammunition from Syrian regime depots in the chaos after Assad's fall. Several Kurdish officials told Reuters that Islamic State had already begun moving more openly around US bases which had recently been shuttered, including near the cities of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa, once strongholds for the extremist group. In areas the SDF controls east of the Euphrates River, ISIS has waged a series of attacks and killed at least 10 SDF fighters and security forces, Abdi said. Attacks included a roadside bomb targeting a convoy of oil tankers on a road near the US base where he gave the interview.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Exclusive: US pulls out of two more bases in Syria, worrying Kurdish forces
AL SHADADI BASE, Syria, June 17 (Reuters) - U.S. forces have pulled out of two more bases in northeastern Syria, visiting Reuters reporters found, accelerating a troop drawdown that the commander of U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces said was allowing a resurgence of Islamic State. Reuters reporters who visited the two bases in the past week found them mostly deserted, both guarded by small contingents of the Syrian Democratic Forces - the Kurdish-led military group that Washington has backed in the fight against Islamic State for a decade. Cameras used on bases occupied by the U.S.-led military coalition had been taken down, and razor wire on the outer perimeters had begun to sag. A Kurdish politician who lives on one base said there were no longer U.S. troops there. SDF guards at the second base said troops had left recently but declined to say when. The Pentagon declined to comment. It is the first confirmation on the ground by reporters that the U.S. has withdrawn from Al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases in Hasaka province. It brings to at least four the number of bases in Syria U.S. troops have left since President Donald Trump took office. Trump's administration said this month it will scale down its military presence in Syria to one base from eight in parts of northeastern Syria that the SDF controls. The New York Times reported in April that troops might be reduced from 2,000 to 500 in the drawdown. The SDF did not respond to questions about the current number of troops and open U.S. bases in northeastern Syria. But SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, who spoke to Reuters at another U.S. base, Al Shadadi, said the presence of a few hundred troops on one base would be "not enough" to contain the threat of Islamic State. "The threat of Islamic State has significantly increased recently. But this is the U.S. military's plan. We've known about it for a long time ... and we're working with them to make sure there are no gaps and we can maintain pressure on Islamic State," he said. Abdi spoke to Reuters on Friday, hours after Israel launched its air war on Iran. He declined to comment on how the new Israel-Iran war would affect Syria, saying simply that he hoped it would not spill over there and that he felt safe on a U.S. base. Hours after the interview, three Iranian-made missiles targeted the Al Shadadi base and were shot down by U.S. defence systems, two SDF security sources said. Islamic State, also known as ISIS and Daesh, ruled vast swathes of Iraq and Syria from 2014 to 2017 during Syria's civil war, imposing a vision of Islamic rule under which it beheaded locals in city squares, sex-trafficked members of the Yazidi minority and executed foreign journalists and aid workers. The group, from its strongholds in Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, also launched deadly attacks in European and Middle Eastern countries. A U.S.-led military Coalition of more than 80 countries waged a yearslong campaign to defeat the group and end its territorial control, supporting Iraqi forces and the SDF. But Islamic State has been reinvigorated since the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December at the hands of separate Islamist rebels. Abdi said ISIS cells had become active in several Syrian cities, including Damascus, and that a group of foreign jihadists who once battled the Syrian regime had joined its ranks. He did not elaborate. He said ISIS had seized weapons and ammunition from Syrian regime depots in the chaos after Assad's fall. Several Kurdish officials told Reuters that Islamic State had already begun moving more openly around U.S. bases which had recently been shuttered, including near the cities of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa, once strongholds for the extremist group. In areas the SDF controls east of the Euphrates River, ISIS has waged a series of attacks and killed at least 10 SDF fighters and security forces, Abdi said. Attacks included a roadside bomb targeting a convoy of oil tankers on a road near the U.S. base where he gave the interview.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US to withdraw some personnel from the Middle East
STORY: The United States is pulling personnel out of the Middle East, according to President Donald Trump on Wednesday: 'Well, they are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place and we'll see what happens. But they are being… we've given notice to move out and see what happens.' Reuters reported earlier in the day that the U.S. is preparing a partial evacuation of its Iraqi embassy in Baghdad, according to US and Iraqi sources, and that Washington will let military dependents leave locations around the Middle East over heightened security risks. It has bases in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. It's less clear why this is happening now. Iraq has been the site of heightened tension and violence since the the start of the war in Gaza in 2023. Iran-aligned armed groups repeatedly attacked U.S. troops, but that has subsided since last year. However, the news coincides with deadlocked US-Iran nuclear talks. Trump nodded to that on Wednesday, too: JOURNALIST: 'Is there anything that can be done to dial the temperature down in the region?' TRUMP: 'They (Iran) can't have a nuclear weapon, very simply.' In a podcast interview out Wednesday Trump said he was less confident Tehran would agree to stop its nuclear program. Meanwhile CNN has reported that U.S. intelligence suggests Israel is preparing for a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. Benchmark oil futures rose $3 on the news of the Baghdad pullout, with Brent crude going above $69 a barrel. The next round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States is due in the coming days. Tehran is expected to hand over a counter proposal after rejecting an offer by Washington.
Arab News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Building a just and inclusive Syria from within
The recent withdrawal of hundreds of American troops from Syria — estimated at 500 personnel and accompanied by the closure or handover of multiple bases to the Syrian Democratic Forces — marks more than just a tactical shift in US foreign policy. It may, if seized wisely, signal the dawn of a new opportunity for Syrians to redefine their nation's future through unity, reconciliation and inclusivity. This move, characterized by US officials as 'safe, deliberate and conditions-based,' reflects a major recalibration following the fall of the Assad regime. For years, Syria has been trapped in a brutal vortex of conflict, foreign intervention and sectarian fragmentation. Now, as international military footprints shrink, the onus is increasingly on Syrians themselves to shape the road ahead. The handover of military sites — such as Mission Support Site Euphrates — to the SDF is emblematic of a transition from foreign-led stabilization to local governance. While this raises valid concerns about the future balance of power among Kurdish, Arab and other ethnic groups in northeastern Syria, it also presents a rare chance to lay the groundwork for a decentralized, inclusive system that respects Syria's diversity. Yet the departure of US forces should not be mistaken for an end to instability. Instead, it is a fork in the road. Syrians — regardless of ethnicity, faith or political affiliation — must now decide: Will they allow the vacuum to be filled by renewed factionalism or will they use this space to chart a united course toward nation-building? As international military footprints shrink, the onus is increasingly on Syrians themselves to shape the road ahead Hani Hazaimeh The SDF, a Kurdish-led coalition with substantial Arab participation, has been praised for maintaining a degree of stability in northeastern Syria. However, its dominance has also fueled tensions with Arab tribes and raised concerns about representation. True inclusivity means more than shifting military control — it demands a political solution that empowers all Syrians, from Qamishli to Deraa. A meaningful path forward could include the development of a new federal model for Syria — one that devolves authority to regional entities while safeguarding national unity. Such an arrangement would not only address long-standing grievances but also prevent the return of autocracy under new guises. As Syria emerges from dictatorship and war, there must be a concerted effort to pursue transitional justice rather than retribution. Mechanisms should be put in place to acknowledge the atrocities of the past, support victims and hold perpetrators accountable through fair legal processes. Only through truth and justice can real reconciliation take root. The chance to build a new Syria — one that is inclusive, accountable and representative — is within reach Hani Hazaimeh The country's young generation — many of whom have only known war — must be given a leading role in rebuilding Syria. Education, entrepreneurship and civic participation should be national priorities. Civil society organizations, long stifled or co-opted, need space to grow independently and help rebuild trust between citizens and their institutions. International actors can and should play a supportive role, not as overseers but as partners in reconstruction and capacity-building. Any engagement must be conditional on the inclusion of marginalized voices and the advancement of human rights. The withdrawal of US forces should not be seen as abandonment, but as an inflection point. The real question is not what foreign powers will do next, but what Syrians will do now. The chance to build a new Syria — one that is inclusive, accountable and representative — is within reach. It will not be easy. But with courage, dialogue and vision, the Syrian people can reclaim their future — not through force, but through unity. History has shown that peace imposed from the outside rarely endures. But peace built from within can transform nations. Now is the time for Syrians to choose the path of transformation.
Russia Today
27-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
US troop withdrawal from Europe expected in ‘coming months'
The US is expected to announce a reduction in its military presence in Europe in the 'coming months,' the German daily Handelsblatt has reported, citing 'high-ranking European diplomats.' The scale of the pullout is still unclear, but NATO is reportedly making preparations, according to the paper. The pullout could be linked to the new US national defense strategy, according to EU sources contacted by the newspaper. The document is expected to be ready by the end of summer, the report said. Washington needs to focus its efforts on countering China as it is not prepared for a potential confrontation with Beijing, according to US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, who was approached by Handelsblatt. Rumors about a potential pullout have been circulating in the media ever since NBC News reported in April that the US was considering withdrawing up to 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe. US President Donald Trump later confirmed that he is considering a partial withdrawal but did not elaborate on either its scale or timetable. In mid-May, the US ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said Washington plans to start talks about a potential pullout with other NATO members following the bloc's summit in June. 'We are not going to have any more patience for foot dragging in this situation,' he said at the time, while admitting that 'nothing has been determined' yet. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly denied speculation about a US pullout during a visit to Lithuania this week. 'We currently have no indication that the United States of America will withdraw troops from Europe,' he told journalists at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius. The cost of replacing the US equipment and personnel following a withdrawal could amount to around $1 trillion over 25 years, Politico reported earlier in May, citing a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. As of early 2025, there were nearly 84,000 US troops stationed in Europe, with the largest concentrations in Germany and Poland, and smaller deployments in Romania, Estonia, and Lithuania, according to the US European Command.
