Above photo: AP.
Defense officials cited in US media say the potential withdrawal could take 30, 60, or 90 days.
Washington is drafting plans for a withdrawal of US military forces from Syria, two defense officials told NBC News on 4 February.
“The Defense Department is developing plans to withdraw all US troops from Syria,” the officials said.
As a result of US President Donald Trump and those close to him expressing an intention to pull out of Syria recently, Pentagon officials are “drawing up plans for a full withdrawal in 30, 60 or 90 days,” the report conveyed.
US defense officials told NBC that Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz visited CENTCOM’s headquarters last week, met with senior army officials, and received briefings on the region.
A White House official declared a potential reduction of US troops in Syria was not discussed during the visit.
“It’s good for NSA Waltz to visit CENTCOM to get a sense of the entire region,” the official stated. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment.
Trump was asked during a media event about recent reports that he had informed Israeli officials of his intention to pull out of Syria.
“I don’t know who said that. I mean, I don’t know who said that, but we’ll make a determination on that. We’re not getting, we’re not involved in Syria. Syria is its own mess. They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in everyone,” the US president stated.
Israel’s Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported late last month that Trump informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that he intends to withdraw thousands of US troops from Syria.
According to the report, this raised “many concerns and worries in Israel.”
The US army has been illegally occupying Syria since 2016, maintaining control of the country’s oilfields with the help of its Kurdish proxy, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
In 2019, during his first term, Trump admitted that US forces were in Syria to take the country’s oil.
“We’re keeping [Syria’s] oil. We have the oil. The oil is secure. We left troops behind only for the oil,” he said.
The fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024 has seen extremist organizations formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda establish a transitional government in the country. Israeli troops have swept across southern Syria and extended their illegal occupation.