US withdrawal from Syria: Impacts on Türkiye's military stance

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

ANKARA, TURKIYE — The ongoing withdrawal of United States military forces from Syria, a presence maintained since the start of the civil war in 2011, marks the beginning of a new era for regional security and military deployments.

Following the collapse of the 61-year Baath regime in December 2024 and the inauguration of a new government led by Ahmed Shara, Washington has initiated a comprehensive review of its military footprint. Reducing personnel from 2,000 to approximately 900, the US vacated the al-Tanf base in the south and the Shaddadi base in the north in early February 2026. Recent reports from the region indicate that American troops have also exited the Kesrak base in Hasakah, with Syrian government forces taking control of these vacated facilities.

Shift in Local Partnerships and Border Security

The Shaddadi and Kesrak bases were previously used by the US alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an organization whose backbone consists of the People's Defense Units (YPG). Ankara has long advocated for the departure of American troops to end the cooperation between Washington and the SDG, aiming to prevent the positioning of the YPG—which Türkiye defines as a terrorist organization—along its borders.

While President Donald Trump ordered a withdrawal in 2019 following a call with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, that move was stalled by the Pentagon. However, recent developments and agreements reached between the SDG and the Damascus administration on January 18 and January 30, 2026, have created an environment that facilitates both the US withdrawal and the mitigation of Türkiye's long-standing security concerns.

A New Era in the Fight Against ISIS

The primary responsibility for combating the ISIS threat within Syrian territory is now transitioning to the Damascus administration. Syria officially joined the International Coalition to Defeat ISIS as its 90th member on November 11, 2025, a move that positively impacted Washington-Damascus relations and was welcomed by Ankara.

• The Syrian government has recently confirmed recapturing 81 of 120 ISIS members who escaped from a prison in Shaddadi.

• During a coalition meeting in Riyadh on February 9, members emphasized that Syria would take national leadership in the fight against ISIS.

• Coalition members pledged continued support to both Syrian and Iraqi administrations in these efforts.

Türkiye is expected to cooperate more closely with Syria in this regard moving forward. A military cooperation memorandum signed in August 2025 includes Turkish support for training and equipment to enhance Syria's counter-terrorism capacity. Ankara's official statements indicate a focus on developing this cooperation further to ensure the Syrian army can independently maintain security.

The Future of Türkiye’s Military Presence

Despite the US exit, Turkish officials have stated there are no immediate plans for Türkiye to withdraw its troops from Syria. Türkiye has maintained a military presence since 2016 through operations like Euphrates Shield to combat ISIS and the YPG. Defense Minister Yaşar Güler clarified the conditions for any future reassessment:

"Our military presence in Syria can be re-evaluated with the Syrian administration only after the presence of terrorist organizations is ended, our border security is ensured, and the Syrian army reaches the capability to establish security in these regions alone."

Diplomatic sources remind that while many countries like the US, France, Iran, and Russia deployed troops to Syria during the civil war, Türkiye—which shares a 911-kilometer border—did so after many others. These sources emphasize that while regional developments are positive, the transition process is ongoing and threats remains serious. The integration process between the SDG and the Damascus administration remains the most critical topic for Ankara's future strategic analysis.

American troops were previously seen during joint US-Türkiye exercises in northern Syria near Akçakale in 2019, as captured by Reuters photographer Murad Sezer. Today, the region faces a vastly different power dynamic as the Syrian army patrols rural Hasakah to secure cities and prisons formerly under coalition control.

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