US Syria withdrawal worrying SDF: Reuters
2 Min Read
US troops have withdrawn from two more bases in northeast Syria, prompting warnings from Kurdish forces that ISIS is regaining strength amid the security vacuum.
-
A US Humvee is seen at a US troop outpost on a road leading to the tense front line between Syrian Manbij Military Council fighters and Turkish-backed fighters, at Halawanji village, north of Manbij, Syria on March 29, 2018. (AP)
US forces have pulled out of two additional military bases in northeastern Syria, a move that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) say is contributing to the resurgence of ISIS, according to a Reuters report on Tuesday, confirming the withdrawal from the al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases in the al-Hasakah province.
According to Reuters, each base is now guarded by small SDF units, with US surveillance gear removed and perimeter fencing left to sag, signaling a full withdrawal.
A Kurdish politician confirmed that no US troops remain.
SDF guards verified the exit but gave no timeline, while the Pentagon declined to comment, according to Reuters.
The report suggests that these on-ground confirmations bring the total number of abandoned US bases in Syria to at least four since US President Donald Trump took office.
It is worth noting that earlier this month, the Trump administration announced plans to downscale the US military presence in SDF-controlled areas of Syria from eight bases to just one, reporting that The New York Times troop levels may be reduced from approximately 2,000 to 500.
SDF: Current US presence 'not enough' to stop ISIS
According to Reuters, the SDF has not disclosed the number of US troops remaining in the northeast, nor the exact operational status of the bases still under US command. However, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi told Reuters from the US base in al-Shadadi that the limited American presence is insufficient to contain the growing "ISIS threat".
"The threat of Islamic State has significantly increased recently," Abdi warned, adding that "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."
In territories under SDF control east of the Euphrates River, ISIS has carried out multiple attacks, reportedly killing at least 10 SDF members and local security forces. One recent attack involved a roadside bomb targeting a convoy of oil tankers traveling near the US base.
