1.
If someone pulls back from an action, they decide not to do it or continue with it, because it could have bad consequences.
They will plead with him to ~ from confrontation...
The British government threatened to make public its disquiet but then pulled back.
PHRASAL VERB: V P from n, V P
2.
If troops ~ or if their leader pulls them back, they go some or all of the way back to their own territory.
They were asked to ~ from their artillery positions around the city...
He pulled back forces from Mongolia, and he withdrew from Afghanistan.
PHRASAL VERB: V P, V P n (not pron), also V n P