Several senior U.S. diplomats focused on Syria have been suddenly removed from their posts, according to multiple sources. The shake-up comes as Washington seeks closer ties between Syrian Kurdish forces and the central government in Damascus.
The diplomats were part of the Syria Regional Platform (SRP), a U.S. mission operating remotely from Istanbul. They all reported to Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy for Syria and a longtime adviser to former President Donald Trump.
Barrack, appointed in May, has led a policy shift supporting a unified Syrian state under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who rose quickly to power last year.
A U.S. diplomatic source said that a small number of SRP staff were informed that their assignments would end as part of a reorganization. The source emphasized that the departures would not change U.S. policy in Syria. They also said the decision was not due to disagreements with Barrack or the White House.
Two Western diplomats and two U.S.-based sources confirmed the removals were sudden and involuntary, occurring toward the end of last week. No official reason was provided. A State Department official declined to comment on personnel decisions, stating that “core staff working on issues pertaining to Syria continue to operate from multiple locations.”
Barrack has pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the U.S., to ratify a March agreement with Sharaa. The deal aims to bring Kurdish-controlled areas under state authority and integrate the SDF into national security forces.
One Western diplomat said the removals partly reflected differences in views between Barrack and some SRP staff regarding the SDF and Sharaa, but did not provide further details.
The SDF, which collaborated with U.S. forces against Islamic State, has resisted pressure to join national security forces. Recent outbreaks of violence across Syria have also fueled their reluctance. The SDF remains in sporadic clashes with Syrian and Turkish-backed forces in the northeast and continues to advocate for a less centralized post-Assad government, aiming to retain some autonomy.
Barrack visited Damascus on Tuesday to oversee a plan addressing tensions with the Druze minority in the south. He later posted on X that the plan supports “equal rights and shared obligations for all.”
Since the U.S. closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012, the SRP has functioned as the de facto U.S. mission to Syria. Its headquarters are at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, with additional offices elsewhere in the region.
