US troops to remain in Syrian Kurdistan, says White House's Finer

US troops to remain in Syrian Kurdistan, says White Houses Jon Finer — Jon Finer, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor, December 7 2023. Photo: CC/Aspen Security Forum

WASHINGTON,— U.S. forces will stay in Syrian Kurdistan even after the recent fall of President Bashar al-Assad, maintaining their counter-terrorism mission aimed at defeating Islamic State militants, a senior White House official stated on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York, Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer emphasized the importance of the U.S. military’s presence in Syria. “Our troops are there for a clear and critical purpose—not as a bargaining chip,” Finer explained.

Finer affirmed the ongoing mission, which has been in place for nearly a decade, saying, “We remain committed to the fight against ISIS.” When asked directly if U.S. forces would stay, he responded unequivocally: “Yes.”

The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, captured vast regions of Syria and Iraq in 2014, declaring a so-called Islamic caliphate. A U.S.-led coalition ultimately dismantled this caliphate by 2019.

Despite these successes, Washington views its continued military presence as vital for maintaining regional stability amid ongoing uncertainty about how Syria’s new leadership will react.

On Sunday, Syrian Islamist rebel groups seized Damascus after a rapid advance, forcing Assad to flee to Russia. This marked the end of his 13-year rule amid civil war and more than five decades of autocratic control by his family.

The Islamist-led rebel group. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as al-Nusra Front, remains classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.

According to Finer, these designations are based on actions, not promises or rhetoric. “We’re monitoring their behavior closely,” he noted, while acknowledging recent “constructive” statements by some rebel groups. Washington remains focused on ensuring any future Syrian government is inclusive and credible.

The U.S. has supported Kurdish forces in the fight against ISIS. The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its military branches, the YPG and YPJ, have played a key role in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which reclaimed significant territory from ISIS. In 2019, Kurdish fighters drove ISIS out of its last stronghold in Baghouz, eastern Syria.

Kurdish officials report that over 21,000 male and female fighters were killed during the campaign to dismantle ISIS’s caliphate. Additionally, about 12,000 suspected ISIS members remain detained in Kurdish-controlled prisons.

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)