US Defense Secretary Advocates Troop Presence in Syria

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has asserted that maintaining American military presence in Syria is crucial to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS) following the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad's government. Austin estimates that detention camps in Syria hold between 8,000 to 10,000 former ISIS fighters, with around 2,000 deemed highly dangerous, emphasizing that without U.S. troops, these fighters could reintegrate into the mainstream. The U.S. currently has approximately 2,000 troops in Syria, a significant increase from the previously reported figure of 900, deployed to counter ISIS since 2015. Collaboration with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been pivotal in operations against ISIS, although Turkey views the SDF as linked to groups it designates as terrorists. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi echoed concerns about a potential resurgence of ISIS if the U.S. withdraws, linking it to instability and threats to the Kurdish population. Both Austin and Abdi highlight the risks associated with a U.S. military pullout, warning it could lead to chaos and renewed conflict in the region.