The U.S. will shrink its military footprint in Syria over the coming months, bringing troop levels below 1,000.
Why it matters: President Trump tried to pull all American forces from the war-ravaged country during his first term.
- Along with Turkey, Iran and Russia, the U.S. is one of several foreign powers with a foothold in Syria as the country rebuilds after the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The latest: Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced the reduction Friday afternoon, citing “the significant steps we have made toward degrading ISIS’ appeal and operational capability regionally and globally.”
Zoom in: Three small operating bases in northeast Syria will be shuttered, the New York Times reported Thursday.
Yes, but: There’s significant buildup elsewhere in Central Command, which oversees military operations across the greater Middle East.
- Aircraft carriers Carl Vinson and Harry S. Truman are launching warplanes to combat Houthi rebels in Yemen.
- Patriot air defenses were shifted to the region, away from the Indo-Pacific.
- And B-2 bombers were dispatched to Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean.
By the numbers: The Pentagon in December disclosed there were roughly 2,000 troops in Syria — far more than the widely known 900.
Go deeper: Trump and Biden on Syria: Maybe not so different