The U.S. military is preparing to reduce its presence in Syria by about half, according to Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. Currently, there are around 2,000 American troops in the country, primarily stationed in northeastern Syria. These forces are collaborating with local partners to prevent the reemergence of ISIS, which had previously captured large territories in Iraq and Syria in 2014 before being largely defeated.
The drawdown will occur through a “deliberate and conditions-based process,” aiming to reduce the troop count to fewer than 1,000 in the coming months. This restructuring will be executed under the guidance of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and led by the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, focusing on select strategic locations.
Despite the reduction, U.S. Central Command will continue to conduct operations against remnants of ISIS and maintain readiness to respond to terrorist threats in the region. The move also comes amid broader U.S. military deployments to the Middle East, including bombers and air defense assets, amidst ongoing tensions with Iran.
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