Senator Rand Paul urges immediate US troop withdrawal from Syria
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US Senator Rand Paul criticizes the US military presence in Syria, describing it as unnecessary and perilous.
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American soldiers patrol in Hasakeh, Syria in 2022. (AP)
The US Senator Rand Paul has called for the immediate withdrawal of American forces from Syria.
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh recently claimed that the US has no plans to expand its military presence in Syria, even temporarily following the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
"Bring our troops home! The war pits Islamists against socialist Kurds against Iranian proxies. Not our fight. 900 US troops scattered about Syria are a target, not a deterrent," Paul posted on X.
This comes shortly after three US service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack involving rockets and mortars targeting American forces in Syria, as per the Pentagon.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson, confirmed the development on Thursday, stating, "As you know, those numbers can fluctuate. I’m not aware of any other injuries at this time."
"Again, we’ll not hesitate to take appropriate action and protect our forces if they are threatened."
The attack occurred near the Military Support Site Euphrates, a US-operated base in eastern Syria, according to the Associated Press. However, Ryder declined to confirm whether the injured personnel were on the base at the time of the incident.
US Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East, is still investigating the source of the attack.
Ryder has lately mentioned a separate rocket attack on another US facility in Syria, claiming no injuries or infrastructure damage resulted from that incident.
Approximately 900 US troops and an undisclosed number of contractors remain stationed in Syria as part of what Washington describes as an effort to combat ISIS.
Despite the defeat of the terrorist group in late 2017 at the hands of the Axis of Resistance, the US has maintained its military presence in Syria. Meanwhile, Iraq’s parliament voted in 2020 to expel US forces from the country.
Elsewhere Ryder has lately claimed that the US is not involved in the current developments in northwestern Syria involving the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group, reiterating, “The US has no role in what’s happening right now in terms of northwestern Syria and HTS."
But a couple of days ago, Al Mayadeen's correspondent confirmed that US occupation forces had instructed Deir Ezzor Military Council militants to launch an attack on Syrian Army positions in the seven villages in the Deir Ezzor countryside, coinciding with an offensive by HTS and other opposition factions on Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama countrysides.
The Deir Ezzor Military Council stands for armed groups supported by US occupation forces, operating under the SDF and controlling areas north of the Euphrates River, where several US military bases are located.
Sources told Al Mayadeen that the US goal in supporting the SDF's attack is to stop the Resistance attacks on the Conoco base due to its proximity to these villages. However, sources confirmed that the offensive was thwarted by the army, allied forces, and locals.
Read more: Deir Ezzor tribes urge US coalition to stay away from terrorist plans
US was in contact with new Syrian regime forces prior to takeover: NYT
The United States has been in indirect contact with the forces now serving as the transitional government in Syria, officials told The New York Times.
Forces that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have been contacted by the Turkish government on behalf of the US since their offensive was launched on November 27 and before they took over Syria's capital, Damascus, according to US and Turkish officials.
The initial messages sent by the US to the armed groups informed them of "what not to do," one of the officials told NYT.
Among those messages, the US told militants not to allow ISIS to participate in their offensive, to which they responded by saying that they had no intention of doing so.
After the armed groups took control of the capital and al-Assad took asylum in Russia, US President Joe Biden's administration is now considering the "extent to which they should engage directly" with the armed groups going forward.
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, a proscribed terrorist organization by the US and the United Nations, is heading the armed forces. Additionally, Washington has designated its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, a terrorist, and has set a $10 million reward for him.
Now, NYT reports that US intelligence agencies and top Biden administration officials are still in the process of evaluating HTS and al-Jolani.
"A charm offensive might mean that people are turning over a new leaf and they think differently than they used to so you should hear them out," a US official said, adding that it was al-Jolani is currently doing.
"On the other hand, you should be cautious because charm offensives can sometimes be misleading," the official said.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration also continues to monitor and manage the ongoing conflict between Kurdish groups and Turkish-backed armed forces, primarily the Syrian National Army (SNA).
The US continues to closely work with its partners namely the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). According to officials, the US has provided intelligence support to the SDF in their takeover of areas in eastern Syria.
Read more: Int'l, regional reactions to Syria regime change; calls for stability
