Kurdish forces panic as the US withdraws from Syrian bases

US forces have withdrawn from a further two bases in Syria’s northeast, exacerbating a decline in soldiers, which a commander believes is enabling a comeback for the Islamic State, Reuters reported on June 17th.

Journalists from Reuters went to the bases, which they say were largely abandoned. The bases were both guarded by divisions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-run military group that is backed by the US.

SDF commander, Mazloum Abdi, expressed concern over the decline in soldiers. He said that a few hundred troops operating in one base is not a sufficient amount to deter the Islamic State.

Reuters