The Kurds are concerned of US next move

US statements about reducing the number of its military forces in the Middle East open questions about Washington’s intention to leave the Syrian file militarily at a time when administrations in the White House are changing.

The announcement by the US Department of Defense to withdraw its forces from the Middle East raised questions about the fate of some of these forces present on the Syrian territories in the northeast (east of the Euphrates), and whether they were really intent on emptying their military bases deployed there.

Despite the assurances of the spokesman for the International Coalition to Fight ISIS, Wayne Maruto, that their mission in Syria and Iraq will continue until the terrorist organization is eliminated, a remarkable part in his statement published on Tuesday supports expectations of a possible sudden US withdrawal from northeastern Syria similar to what It happened in October of last year, when Maruto noted that the number of US forces there is more or less according to the requirements of the situation on the ground.

At the time, US President Donald Trump gave his forces the green light to withdraw from the Syrian-Turkish border areas and reposition them in the depth of the northeast, which allowed Turkey to carry out the military operation known as “Peace Spring” in the areas of Tal Abyad and Ras al Ain.

Any US withdrawal from northeastern Syria will reignite the region again, especially since Russia has its own deals with Turkey (so that there will be a new form of influence between the two sides), according to Salah al Din Muslim, director of the “Democratic Middle East” magazine.

The Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) lost their areas of influence at the Syrian-Turkish border after the Operation Peace Spring, following a sudden US withdrawal at that time (October 2019).

Muslim added, when Trump was in power, he wanted to hand over all of northern Syria (to Turkey), but he did not succeed to the pressure that he saw in Congress, the Pentagon, the Senate, and the American media itself…

Trump’s behavior has made all the powers imitate him, including Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan.

On Sunday, media reports said that an US convoy of 50 armored vehicles had withdrawn from northeastern Syria to Iraq.

It is noteworthy that despite the withdrawal of US forces from some of their bases in Syria last year, before the Turkish military operation “Peace Spring”, they remain in the area surrounding the oil fields, as they patrol the area and prevent Russian forces from approaching the oil fields and border crossings.