Why Did the U.S. Just Purge Its Syria Diplomats?

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Several senior U.S. diplomats working on Syria were suddenly removed from their posts in recent days, five sources told Reuters, in a shake-up that coincides with Washington’s push to integrate its Kurdish allies into the central government in Damascus.

The diplomats served at the Syria Regional Platform (SRP), the U.S.’s de facto mission to Syria, which operates remotely from Istanbul. All reported to Tom Barrack, President Donald Trump’s longtime confidant and the recently appointed special envoy for Syria.

Staff Removed Without Warning

According to a U.S. diplomatic source, “a handful” of staff were told their tours had ended as part of a reorganization. The move, described by sources as sudden and involuntary, came late last week.

The State Department declined to comment on personnel changes, saying only that core Syria staff continue to operate from multiple locations.

Policy Shift: Backing Sharaa

Barrack has led a dramatic regional policy shift backing a unified Syrian state under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Islamist leader who took power after a rapid offensive late last year.

Central to this shift is U.S. pressure on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed militia that fought ISIS — to finalize a March deal that would bring their autonomous territories under Damascus’s authority and fold their fighters into national security forces.

Resistance from the Kurds

SDF leaders, wary of ceding control after years of fighting both ISIS and Turkish-backed forces, have resisted integration, continuing to push for a decentralized system that preserves the autonomy they gained during Syria’s civil war.

One Western diplomat suggested the dismissal of the U.S. staff reflected divergent views between them and Barrack over how aggressively to pressure the Kurds.

Barrack Active in Damascus

Barrack, who also serves as U.S. ambassador to NATO ally Turkey, was in Damascus on Tuesday to oversee a deal with Syria’s Druze minority. He later wrote on X that the plan guaranteed “equal rights and shared obligations for all.”

The SRP’s Role

Since Washington closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012, the SRP has served as America’s de facto mission to Syria, headquartered at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul with additional offices across the region.