People celebrate as Syrian government forces enter the town of Deir Hafer, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, following the withdrawal of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. (AP Photo)
The U.S. is considering a "complete withdrawal" of troops from Syria following the collapse of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa moved to wrest control of the northeastern part of Syria, the Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 23.
"The head-spinning events of the last week" have led the Pentagon to question the viability of the American military’s mission in Syria after the SDF’s defeat," it reported, citing three U.S. officials.
U.S. officials see "no reason" to keep American troops in Syria if the SDF completely disbands, it added.
The U.S. has 1,500 troops in Syria, according to a Pentagon announcement in July 2025.
U.S. President Donald Trump, shortly after taking office for a second term last January, said he "will make a determination" on troops in Syria.
Asked about the report, a Pentagon official told the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency, “We have nothing to provide on this, and we don’t speculate on hypothetical situations or future operations.”
On Jan. 18, Syrian Sharaa announced a deal with SDF chief Mazloum Abdi that had included a ceasefire and the integration of the SDF into the state.
The report came as U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said that the SDF’s role as the "primary anti-ISIL force on the ground" has "largely expired.”
Syria's situation has "fundamentally" transformed with Damascus joining a global coalition to defeat ISIL as its 90th member in late 2025, he said.
Damascus is now "willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities," including control of ISIL detention facilities and camps, he said.
Meanwhile, Syria said early on Jan. 23 that government forces had begun transferring the SDF members from a prison in the north where they had been holding ISIL group detainees, as part of the weekend agreement.
