U.S. weighs complete military withdrawal from Syria, media reports

The U.S. is considering a complete withdrawal of American troops from Syria, according to a Thursday report in the Wall Street Journal citing U.S. officials. 

The report states that the U.S. rationale for staying in Syria has weakened as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have lost most of their territory in northeastern Syria. The U.S.-partnered forces helped defeat the Islamic State (IS) group but now face disbandment due to government-led attacks.

The report also cites recent prison escapes in northeastern Syria as a reason for the possible retreat. SDF has been responsible for guarding roughly 9,000 IS prisoners in detention facilities across the northeast. However, their departure following the defeat has raised concerns that similar incidents could recur if government-led forces assume control of the detention facilities.

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said on Tuesday the original purpose of the SDF had largely expired, and that the U.S. had no long-term interest in retaining its presence in Syria.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

(With input from Reuters)