US to maintain presence in eastern Syria to prevent ISIS resurgence, Shapiro says

Shafaq News/ The United States will maintain its presence in eastern Syria to prevent a resurgence of ISIS, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro said Sunday.

Speaking at the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain, Shapiro called on all parties to protect civilians, particularly minorities, and to respect international norms. He noted that the changing circumstances on the ground in Syria could provide ISIS the opportunity to regroup and plan attacks.

“We are aware that the chaotic and dynamic circumstances on the ground in Syria could give ISIS space to find the ability to become active, to plan external operations, and we're determined to work with those partners to continue to degrade their capabilities,” Shapiro said.

He expressed the US's firm stance to ensure “the secure detention of ISIS fighters and the repatriation of displaced persons."

Opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a rapid offensive, capturing several key cities in Syria, including Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Damascus.

HTS, originally known as the Nusra Front (Jabhat Al-Nusra) and once an al-Qaeda affiliate, has since severed ties with the global jihadist movement but remains a designated terrorist group.

US top officials emphasized that Washington would not intervene militarily in Syria's civil war. "THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT," President Donald Trump wrote on X.

Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, reiterated the US stance, stating, “The United States is not going to militarily dive into the middle of a Syrian civil war,” while underscoring the priority of containing ISIS.

The US has about 900 troops stationed in northeastern Syria.