Strategic shift: US adapts Syria force posture, urges ISIS detainee action

Shafaq News/ The Pentagon announced on Friday a strategic consolidation of US forces in Syria under the umbrella of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, a move that will reduce American military presence in the country to fewer than 1,000 troops in the coming months.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said the directive came from the Secretary of Defense and reflects a “deliberate and conditions-based process.”

“This consolidation reflects the significant steps we have made toward degrading ISIS’ appeal and operational capability regionally and globally,” Parnell stated.

US forces have been operating in Syria for years as part of the international campaign to defeat ISIS, which once controlled vast swaths of territory in Syria and neighboring Iraq. The group suffered a major blow in 2019 with the loss of its last territorial stronghold in Syria, a victory credited to US-led coalition efforts and local partners such as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Over the past year, US Central Command has conducted dozens of airstrikes targeting ISIS remnants. Despite their territorial defeat, ISIS cells continue to pose a threat, particularly in northeast Syria, where at least 13 attacks have been reported since early April, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“Consistent with President Trump’s commitment to peace through strength, US Central Command will remain poised to continue strikes against the remnants of ISIS in Syria,” Parnell emphasized adding that Washington would “work closely with capable and willing Coalition partners” to sustain pressure on the group and respond to emerging threats.

Parnell also called on the international community to take responsibility for thousands of ISIS-affiliated individuals detained in camps in Syria, urging countries to “repatriate their nationals” to reduce the burden on local forces and prevent resurgence.

While the US footprint in Syria is set to shrink, Parnell affirmed that “the Department of Defense continues to maintain a significant amount of capability in the region and the ability to make dynamic force posture adjustments based on evolving security situations on the ground.”

The Pentagon said further updates on the consolidation process will be provided as developments unfold.