The Trump administration will reduce the number of US troops in Syria from around 2,000 to approximately 1,000, officials said Tuesday, in a move signaling a shift in Washington’s military posture across the Middle East.
The Pentagon, which in December acknowledged a larger-than-disclosed troop presence in Syria, will also scale down the number of military bases in the country, according to Al Arabiya English.
A US defense official emphasized that the reduction is part of routine reallocation based on operational needs. “These movements demonstrate the flexible nature of the US global defense posture and our ability to deploy worldwide on short notice to meet evolving security threats,” the official said.
CBS News was the first to report the planned drawdown, which comes amid long-standing US cooperation with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — a relationship seen as central to the fight against ISIS.
While specifics remain unclear, sources say Kurdish forces will continue overseeing prisons housing tens of thousands of ISIS fighters and their families. However, it’s uncertain how continued US support will look with a smaller footprint.
Outside Syria, the US maintains about 2,500 troops in Iraq, 3,500 in Jordan, and nearly 2,000 in Türkiye. It has not been confirmed where the redeployed Syria-based troops will be sent.
In a separate deal with Baghdad, the US had agreed to consolidate its presence in Iraq and reduce troop numbers. However, following Assad’s fall, Iraq has reportedly requested delays in the transition — a matter still under review, according to officials.
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Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
The United Nations has urged sustained international engagement with Afghanistan five years into Taliban rule, warning that restrictions on women and terrorism concerns risk undermining gains from improved security.
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental protection to form part of future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.
Georgia could gain a direct electricity link to Europe under plans for a new overland energy corridor connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye and Bulgaria, potentially reshaping regional power flows.
Türkiye has unveiled plans for joint military exercises and defence production with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan under a new security pact that includes a collective defence clause.
Uzbekistan will allow eligible businesses to operate for up to three months without a licence or permit under a new regime aimed at cutting barriers to market entry and attracting investment.
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