ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
What comes next in Syria? That is a huge question after the shocking overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. For one, the U.S. considers the group that overthrew him to be a terrorist organization. It's also unclear what will happen to the country's chemical weapons stockpile, and we don't know whether U.S. troops will remain in Syria. American forces have been fighting the Islamic State in the country's northeast. Well, NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman has been looking into all these questions. Hey, Tom.
TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Hey, Ari.
SHAPIRO: What kind of chemical weapon stockpile did Bashar al-Assad have?
BOWMAN: Well, Ari, Assad had vast stores of chemical weapons, maybe dozens of storage sites, facilities - things like mustard agent, which can blister the lungs, and the more deadly nerve agents that can kill quickly, like sarin and VX. Of course, Assad used them repeatedly against his own people, rebel groups and civilians. Now, Syria, through the U.N., began in 2013 destroying some 1,300 tons of chemical weapons, but there's no doubt Assad didn't give up everything. And, of course, back in 2017 and 2018, during the first Trump administration, the U.S. and its allies fired missiles and destroyed some of these sites. And just this week, Israel started bombing some of these chemical sites and research facilities to make sure they don't fall into rebel hands.
SHAPIRO: Are there health risks to bombing chemical weapons sites? Could that activate the weapons?
BOWMAN: Right. Of course, that would be a concern. How do you safely destroy these chemical weapons? When the U.S. bombed back in 2018, they use these special munitions that actually cooked the chemical agent rather than just explode it into the air. But ideally, Ari, you want to destroy them with special teams on the ground so it's safer. Now, a senior administration official told reporters yesterday, the U.S. has a pretty good idea where many of these chemical sites are, and it's something, quote, "we're very focused on." And the top U.S. officer who oversees the region, General Erik Kurilla, is now traveling there. And I'm told that's something he'll discuss with his counterparts in Jordan and Israel. Also, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is headed to the region.
SHAPIRO: Speaking of U.S. officers in the region, what about the troops? Does the U.S. plan to keep them there?
BOWMAN: Right. The U.S. just bombed 75 ISIS sites, command centers, training facilities using B-52s and other war planes. The U.S. is worried the Islamic State could expand and take advantage of the power vacuum, especially in the northeast area. National Security spokesman John Kirby said today such airstrikes will continue. One question is, will the new leadership in Syria want the U.S. troops to remain - some 900 of them in the northeast Syria? And also, will Trump want them to remain? Trump recently on social media said the U.S. shouldn't get involved in what's going on in Syria, basically saying it's not our fight.
SHAPIRO: How concerned are American military officials about HTS, the group that seized power, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization?
BOWMAN: Well, there's a $10 million bounty on the head of its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani. He leads the designated terror group, Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham, that is now leading Syria. And both the U.S. and Great Britain say the group is still on the terror list. So the situation is far from settled. Now, Ari, to make things even more complicated - just stay with me now - the U.S. is fighting ISIS in northeast Syria with Kurdish forces, who Turkey sees as an enemy and linked with terror groups in Turkey. Turkey is a main backer of this rebel group, ATS that's...
SHAPIRO: HTS.
BOWMAN: ...HTS that is a serious new government. So how will the new government see the Kurds? Stay tuned.
SHAPIRO: NPR's Tom Bowman. Thank you.
BOWMAN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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