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Senators, Experts Warn Hasty U.S. Withdrawal Could Let ISIS Reconstitute; Urge Careful Transition
Summary
Senators and witnesses told the Foreign Relations Committee that a quick U.S. troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria could enable ISIS to reconstitute and stressed the need for a planned transition to preserve gains against the group.
Senators and two expert witnesses told the Foreign Relations Committee that maintaining counterterrorism pressure in Syria is essential as the country transitions after the fall of the Assad regime.
Witnesses and senators repeatedly warned that a quick or poorly planned U.S. military withdrawal from northeastern Syria could create a security vacuum that ISIS or other violent extremists could exploit. Committee testimony cited roughly 2,000 U.S. personnel supporting local partners, nearly 9,000 detained ISIS fighters in facilities, and tens of thousands of family members in camps such as Al Hol.
"They're keeping 9,000 ISIS people in prison is, is critical," a witness said during the hearing, explaining that U.S. forces both conduct counterterrorism missions and support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who maintain custody of detainees. Senators stressed that custodial security, intelligence support, and stabilization programming all reduce the chance that detained fighters and camp populations will fuel a resurgence.
Witnesses urged continued U.S. presence and careful planning for any transition of the counter‑ISIS mission. Ms. Stroll said there is "no alternative to the U.S. military and its local partner, the SDF, for the defeat [of] ISIS mission" in the near term and recommended consultations and contingency planning to transfer responsibilities without creating a renewal of violent extremist control.
Committee members also raised the role of Turkey and non‑state Turkish‑aligned forces operating in northern Syria, warning that operations by those groups can distract local partners from counterterrorism tasks and exacerbate instability. Senators called for diplomacy with Turkey to reconcile its security concerns with the need to sustain the fight against ISIS and to preserve custody and detention operations.
No committee action was taken at the hearing; senators asked witnesses and the administration to submit follow‑up materials on planning for custody, camp management and a phased military transition.
