US troops in Syria essential to prevent ISIS resurgence: Defense secretary

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By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the continued deployment of American forces in Syria is necessary to block the Islamic State (ISIS) from resurging and destabilizing the region. Speaking at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Wednesday, Jan. 8, Austin stressed the role of approximately 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, particularly in overseeing detention camps that hold tens of thousands of ISIS fighters and their families.

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Austin cautioned that without the U.S. presence, ISIS fighters could reenter society and pose a renewed threat.

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Estimates indicate there are between 8,000 and 10,000 ISIS fighters in these camps, with at least 2,000 classified as highly dangerous.

“I think that we still have some work to do in terms of keeping a foot on the throat of ISIS,” Austin said.

Since 2015, U.S. forces have worked alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to combat ISIS. While the SDF has been instrumental in countering ISIS, it faces mounting challenges following the December collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Turkey views the SDF as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group Ankara designates as a terrorist organization.

Turkey issued warnings of military action unless Kurdish forces withdraw from key border areas. Ankara-backed forces recently seized the town of Manbij, further complicating the SDF’s ability to manage over 10,000 ISIS detainees under its custody.

Fear of ISIS resurgence drives support of US troops in Syria

SDF Commander Gen. Mazloum Abd i called for continued U.S. support, warning that a withdrawal could enable ISIS to regain strength and destabilize the region.

Abdi referenced a recent ISIS-inspired attack in New Orleans as evidence of the group’s persistent threat.

“The key factor of stabilization in this area is the U.S. presence on the ground,” Abdi said.

Discussions remain ongoing about the establishment of a U.S. and French-led demilitarized zone along the Turkey-Syria border to de-escalate tensions between Turkish forces and the SDF.

French officials, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, voiced strong support for Kurdish forces, emphasizing their vital role in combating ISIS.

Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stressed the importance of the SDF’s work in guarding thousands of ISIS detainees, calling it a critical security interest for both the U.S. and Turkey.

Future of US troops in Syria uncertain

The long-term presence of U.S. troops in Syria remains uncertain as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.

During his first term, Trump proposed withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria. This lead to a Turkish offensive against Kurdish territories and the resignation of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Trump has not yet announced specific plans for Syria, leaving questions about the U.S. role in the region unanswered.

Tags: Antony Blinken, Isis, Islamic State, Lloyd Austin, Syria, Turkey

[ryan robertson]

DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN SAYS THE U.S. NEEDS FORCES IN SYRIA SO THE ISLAMIC STATE TERRORIST GROUP DOESN’T REGAIN ITS STRENGTH AND DESTABILIZE THE REGION ANY FURTHER.

DURING A VISIT TO RAMSTEIN AIR BASE IN GERMANY, AUSTIN EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 2,000 U.S. TROOPS STATIONED IN SYRIA, PARTICULARLY IN MANAGING DETENTION CAMPS HOLDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ISLAMIC STATE FIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AUSTIN WARNED WITHOUT U.S. FORCES, ISIS FIGHTERS COULD REENTER MAINSTREAM SOCIETY AND POSE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT. THERE ARE BETWEEN 8,000 AND 10,000 ISIS FIGHTERS IN CAMPS, WITH AT LEAST 2,000 CONSIDERED HIGHLY DANGEROUS.

THE U.S. WORKED WITH THE KURDISH-LED SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES (SDF) TO COMBAT ISIS SINCE 2015. THE SDF IS INSTRUMENTAL IN COUNTERING THE GROUP BUT NOW FACES CHALLENGES AFTER THE DECEMBER COLLAPSE OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD’S REGIME. TURKEY VIEWS THE SDF AS PART OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS’ PARTY (PKK), WHICH IT DESIGNATES AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.

TURKEY THREATENED MILITARY ACTION UNLESS KURDISH FORCES WITHDRAW FROM BORDER AREAS. ANKARA-BACKED FORCES RECENTLY SEIZED THE TOWN OF MANBIJ, COMPLICATING THE SDF’S ABILITY TO OVERSEE ISIS DETAINEES IN ITS CUSTODY.

THE SDF’S COMMANDER IS ASKING FOR CONTINUED U.S. SUPPORT, WARNING A WITHDRAWAL COULD LEAD TO A RESURGENCE OF ISIS AND INCREASED INSTABILITY. HE POINTED TO A RECENT ISIS-INSPIRED ATTACK IN NEW ORLEANS AS EVIDENCE OF THE GROUP’S CONTINUED THREAT. ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDER– “THE KEY FACTOR OF STABILIZATION IN THIS AREA IS THE U.S. PRESENCE ON THE GROUND
TALKS ARE UNDERWAY ABOUT A POTENTIAL U.S. AND FRENCH-LED DEMILITARIZED ZONE ALONG THE TURKEY-SYRIA BORDER AIMED AT DE-ESCALATING TENSIONS BETWEEN TURKISH FORCES AND THE SDF. FRENCH OFFICIALS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR KURDISH FORCES, EMPHASIZING THEIR ROLE IN FIGHTING ISIS.

OUTGOING SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN, SAYS THE SDF’S WORK GUARDING THOUSANDS OF ISIS DETAINEES IS A VITAL SECURITY INTEREST FOR BOTH THE U.S. AND TURKEY. BUT BLINKEN DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THE JOB OF ENSURING STABILITY IN THE REGION JUST GOT A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE. IT’S NOT CLEAR IF US TROOPS WILL STAY IN SYRIA ONCE PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP TAKES OFFICE. DURING HIS FIRST TERM, TRUMP PROPOSED WITHDRAWING U.S. FORCES, LEADING TO A TURKISH OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURDISH AREAS AND THE RESIGNATION OF GENERAL MATTIS AS THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.

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