Trump, Biden Administration signal US will stay out of Syria's rapidly changing conflict
Shafaq News/ President-elect Donald Trump and the Biden administration have signaled that the United States will refrain from military intervention in Syria as the conflict there undergoes dramatic changes, with opposition forces threatening to dismantle the Assad regime's 50-year rule.
“THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump declared on social media from Paris, where he attended the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. He criticized Syrian President Bashar Assad, asserting that he did not deserve US support to stay in power.
“LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”
In a post on X, White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett stated, "President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners."
Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, echoed this stance during an event in California, emphasizing that “the United States is not going to militarily dive into the middle of a Syrian civil war.”
Sullivan further highlighted the US focus on containing the Islamic State group (ISIS), maintaining a presence of about 900 troops in northeastern Syria to prevent a resurgence of the extremist organization.
The situation in Syria escalated sharply as opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a rapid offensive, capturing key territories, including Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, and reaching Damascus. HTS, a group with historic ties to al-Qaida, claims to have severed those links but remains designated as a terrorist organization by the US.
On Sunday, reports surfaced that Assad had fled the country amid the opposition's advance. While opposition factions claimed victory and described the event as the "end of a dark era," state media denied Assad’s departure, asserting he was still in the capital performing his duties.
The Syrian government, appearing to collapse under the opposition’s swift gains, stated it was ready to transition power. Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali urged calm and respect for public property, pledging to remain in Syria.
