US House Armed Services Committee approved amendments to the Pentagon’s budget for Syria
The US House Armed Services Committee approved a set of amendments to the US Department of War budget, proposed by Senator Joe Wilson, addressing the future of the Russian presence in Syria and mechanisms for supporting Syrian military and security institutions.
The amendments include a requirement for the Pentagon to prepare a comprehensive report by the end of 2026 outlining plans and procedures to reduce Russian influence in Syria or to secure the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Hmeimim and Tartus bases.
The report will also include an assessment of the potential threats posed by Russian forces in Syria to US interests and bases in the region, as well as an examination of the extent to which Russian bases are being used as logistical hubs for transferring weapons to Iranian allies or for recruiting and deploying foreign fighters to the war in Ukraine.
Furthermore, the amendments focus on supporting the development of a more professional and diverse Syrian military.
The committee expressed its support for efforts to integrate elements of the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army, granting some of their leaders’ influential positions within the Ministry of Defense.
The committee also requested a supplementary report by early 2027 to assess the potential for utilizing US security cooperation programs to enhance the capabilities of Syrian security forces, including training on international law, human rights, the rule of law, and mechanisms for civilian oversight of military institutions.
