US to Withdraw from Syria Bases, Retain one in Al-Hasakah

By Staff, Agencies

The United States will significantly reduce its military presence in Syria, scaling back from eight bases to a single site in Al-Hasakah province, according to US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack.

Speaking to Turkish broadcaster NTV on Monday, Barrack described the move as part of a broader Syria policy shift.

“Our current Syria policy will not be close to the Syria policy of the last 100 years, because none of these have worked,” he said.

Barrack, recently appointed by US President Donald Trump, also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey. His dual appointment follows the abrupt removal of sanctions on Syria and reflects Washington’s recalibrated strategy in the region.

Currently, approximately 2,000 US troops remain in Syria, mostly in the northeast.

However, two security sources told Reuters that the US military has already withdrawn hardware from Deir Ezzor, consolidating operations in Al-Hasakah.

One source confirmed that the plan involves a full Deir Ezzor military pullout. A State Department official, speaking separately, said troop levels would be “adjusted if and when appropriate,” depending on field conditions.

Barrack emphasized that the base reduction was “crucial to reshaping America’s presence in Syria and the wider region".

This comes shortly after Fox News reported on June 2 that the United States has significantly reduced its military presence in Syria, withdrawing approximately 500 troops over recent weeks.

According to US officials cited by Fox News, American forces have vacated three key installations, including Mission Support Site Euphrates, now under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF], and Mission Support Site Green Village, which has been shut down entirely.

This reduction follows a Pentagon directive issued in April, outlining plans to cut the US military footprint in Syria from roughly 2,000 to fewer than 1,000 troops.