US Defense Secretary Argues for Continued Troop Presence in Syria to Counter ISIS

Outgoing US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has stated that the United States must maintain its military presence in Syria to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State group (ISIS), particularly in the aftermath of former President Bashar Assad’s removal from power.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Austin emphasized the ongoing need for American forces to secure detention camps holding thousands of former ISIS fighters and their families.

Austin’s comments, made during one of his final interviews before leaving office, come at a critical juncture, following the recent ouster of Assad’s government. He asserted that a US withdrawal would allow ISIS fighters to “enter back into the mainstream” and reconstitute themselves as a significant threat.

According to estimates, these camps hold between 8,000 and 10,000 ISIS fighters, with at least 2,000 considered to be highly dangerous. Speaking at Ramstein Air Base where he met with about 50 partner nations to discuss Ukraine, Austin stressed that “we still have some work to do in terms of keeping a foot on the throat of ISIS.”

The debate over US troop presence in Syria is not new. Former President Donald Trump attempted a full withdrawal in 2018, a decision that prompted the resignation of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Trump also posted on social media last month that the U.S. military needed to stay out of the conflict following the advance of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, against Assad.

The current US military presence in Syria stands at approximately 2,000 troops, a substantial increase from the 900 officials previously cited for years. These forces were initially deployed in 2015 after ISIS had seized a considerable portion of Syria.

The recent ousting of Assad on December 8 has further intensified the debate regarding the US role in the region. US forces have collaborated closely with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in operations against ISIS. This partnership, however, is complicated by Turkey’s classification of the SDF as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey views as a terror organization.

With the Syrian transitional government still forming, the future role of U.S. forces in the country remains uncertain. Austin noted that the SDF has been a valuable partner, and that at some point, they may be absorbed into the Syrian military, thereby giving Syria responsibility for the detention camps.

“But for now,” Austin said, “I think we have to protect our interests there.”