The United States is withdrawing all its troops from Syria - approximately 1,000 soldiers - ending its ten-year operation in the country, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing its sources.
According to the newspaper, the decision is not related to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
The first reason for the troop withdrawal is that the White House no longer considers the American military presence in Syria necessary, two American officials said. This is due to the decision of the interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to establish a ceasefire and gradually integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces, which consist mainly of Kurds and are supported by the US, into the government army.
In January, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US was exploring the possibility of completely withdrawing its troops from Syria after the defeat of the Kurdish forces.
The second reason is to “reduce the risk of conflict“ with the Syrian leader's army. A senior administration official said that the withdrawal of troops is being done because the Syrian government is taking the lead in counterterrorism operations, although US forces will still be able to respond to any threats related to ISIS in the region.