U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack confirmed on Tuesday that the United States has begun reducing its military presence in the country, with the ultimate goal of consolidating its forces into a single remaining base.
Speaking to Turkish media, Barrack said, “We’ve gone from eight bases to five, and now to three. Eventually, we will have only one.”
The remarks came amid ongoing reports of a phased withdrawal by U.S. forces from northeastern Syria.
On Monday, the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that American troops had continued withdrawing from two military installations in the Deir ez-Zor region, an area under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Following the U.S. departure, Kurdish commando units reportedly moved into the vacated sites.
According to SOHR, the withdrawal began gradually last month and accelerated over the past two days. Eyewitnesses described convoys of U.S. military vehicles, including engineering equipment, leaving the Al-Omar oil field and the Conoco gas facility. In parallel, there has been increased aerial activity affiliated with the U.S.-led coalition.
The Al-Omar base is considered the largest U.S. military installation in Syria. Over the past two years, it has been repeatedly targeted by pro-Iranian militias.
Sources told SOHR that while the withdrawal marks a major shift, Kurdish and American forces are expected to continue collaborating on joint operations and counter-Islamic State missions if necessary.
Still, the current pullout raises serious concerns about a potential security vacuum at a time when Syria’s fragile stability is under strain.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
