The Pentagon's plans for withdrawing 2,000 troops from eastern Syria are connected to the complex political landscape following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Kurdish forces, currently aided by US troops, are pivotal in containing threats from ISIS, which could revive if the US withdraws. The leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida fighter, poses both challenges and potential in creating a stable Syria. Various regional players, including Turkey and Gulf states, are vying for influence, complicating the situation as they seek a greater role in post-Assad Syria.
"The mooted American pullout is one piece in a complex Syrian jigsaw puzzle that is challenging friends and foes alike following December's toppling of Bashar al-Assad's dictatorship."
"Caught in the middle is Ahmed al-Sharaa, former al-Qaida fighter, leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Islamist militia that ousted Assad, and Syria's newly appointed interim president."
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