Syrian infighting spotlights existing US troop presence

The Sharaa government’s defeat of the American military’s long-time allies, the Kurds, raises new questions about the longevity of the existing U.S. military mission in Syria.

The U.S.-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces effectively capitulated to the Syrian government after suffering significant losses from a major offensive by government forces against long-held Kurdish areas.

There are roughly 1,000 U.S. troops in Syria, and their primary mission is to ensure the lasting defeat of the Islamic State group. This mission commenced in 2014, and the terrorist group lost its last piece of controlling territory in 2019, though the group is still present in the country but more decentralized.

Prior to the recent upheaval in Syria, the U.S. forces in the country worked with the SDF often, carrying out patrols and operations