The US Department of Defense has firmly rejected recent media speculations suggesting a potential withdrawal of its forces from a portion of Syria, dismissing such reports as “erroneous.”
In response to inquiries from Russia’s RIA Novosti, a Pentagon spokesperson refuted claims made this week by both Foreign Policy magazine and Middle East news outlet Al-Monitor.
According to Foreign Policy, there were purported “active internal discussions” among US government officials regarding the timing and method of withdrawing troops from Syria.
Meanwhile, Al-Monitor reported on a Pentagon proposal advocating collaboration between its Kurdish allies in Syria and the Syrian government to counter the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.
US officials have consistently defended the presence of approximately 900 troops in oil-rich areas of northeastern Syria, despite violating Damascus’ sovereignty.
The rationale behind this deployment is to ensure the “enduring defeat” of IS. Notably, a bill calling for an end to the perceived illegal US presence was voted down last year.
This protracted military occupation, spanning nearly a decade, has outlasted Washington’s failed regime-change efforts against Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The situation remains contentious, reflecting the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region.