US begins major military withdrawal from Syria

The US has begun scaling back its military operations in Syria, aiming to maintain only a single base in the country, according to the US envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack.

In an interview with Turkey's NTV, Barrack explained that the US military footprint under Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR)—the campaign launched in 2014 to combat Daesh—has been steadily decreasing.

“The reduction of our OIR engagement on a military basis is happening,” he said. “We've gone from eight bases to five to three. We'll eventually go to one.”

This drawdown comes six months after the removal of longtime Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad, an event that ended the nation’s 14-year civil war. Despite Assad’s ouster and the rise of a transitional government led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Syria continues to face serious security concerns.

Barrack acknowledged the ongoing difficulties, highlighting the country’s fragmented social fabric. “It's very tribal still. It's very difficult to bring it together,” he said, but expressed optimism about future unity, adding, “I think that will happen.”

Earlier this year, the Pentagon revealed plans to reduce American troop numbers in Syria by half, aiming to keep fewer than 1,000 soldiers on the ground as Daesh’s presence has diminished to isolated pockets.