US Troops Withdraw from Syrian Al-Tanf Military Base

Syrian Forces Take Control of Strategic Base Amid US Coordination

The Syrian Defence Ministry has announced that its forces have taken control of the strategic al-Tanf military base, located near the border with Iraq and Jordan. The ministry stated that the takeover was carried out through coordination between the Syrian and American sides.

According to the ministry, Syrian Arab Army units had begun deploying along the Syrian-Iraqi-Jordanian border nearby, while border guards were scheduled to be deployed in the coming days. The base, established in 2014 as a key hub for operations against ISIL (ISIS), has seen significant changes since its inception.

The US withdrawal from the base follows months after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa joined the anti-ISIL coalition in November. The move also comes amid a US-brokered deal to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into Syrian government institutions, which was hailed as a major step towards national unity and reconciliation in Syria.

In recent weeks, Syrian government forces have captured large areas of previously Kurdish-held territory in northeast Syria, leading to clashes with the SDF. A ceasefire was later struck between the sides. Meanwhile, the US military has been transferring thousands of ISIL prisoners from jails previously run by the SDF in northeastern Syria, as facilities were transferred to Syrian government control.

The size of the US deployment in Syria has fluctuated over the years, with approximately 1,500 American soldiers present at one point. The current deployment stands at around 900 personnel, according to recent reports.

Source: Al Jazeera