Impending Crisis: US Contemplates Withdrawal from Syria, Raising Concerns of ISIS Resurgence

America Is Planning to Withdraw From Syria—and Create a Disaster.

This is what Foreign Policy wrote, citing four sources within the US Departments of Defense and State, as the White House is no longer interested in continuing the US mission in Syria, which it deems unnecessary. 

According to the sources, intense internal discussions are currently underway to determine how and when the withdrawal could take place.

Why?

The "Operation al-Aqsa Flood" and its repercussions on the region have prompted President Joe Biden's administration to reassess its military priorities in the Middle East.

What are the ramifications of such a decision?

It's simply a gift to ISIS, says the US magazine. Despite the significant setbacks the organization has faced in recent years, it remains poised for a resurgence in Syria if given sufficient space.

The coalition launched by the United States with over 80 countries in 2014 to defeat the Islamic State proved notably successful. 

In Iraq, ISIS has disappeared. In 2023, the number of attacks dwindled to just nine per month, compared to 850 monthly attacks in 2014.

However, according to Foreign Policy, the situation in Syria is more complex. While US forces, numbering around 900 along with their Syrian Democratic Forces partners, have managed to contain the Islamic State's resurgence in northeastern Syria, where the Kurdish influence is prominent, the situation is more worrisome west of the Euphrates River. There, under the control of the Syrian regime, ISIS has begun to show signs of recovery.

If ISIS thrives on chaos and uncertainty, it will find fertile ground in Syria should the United States withdraw, creating a breeding ground for terrorist insurgency that could pose a threat to the world.