Americans plan base in Syria, to help reach deal with Israel

The United States wants to set up a military base at Damascus airport to support a planned security agreement between Syria and Israel, according to Reuters sources. This is a major shift in relations between Washington and Damascus following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The new base is to be used mainly for logistics, surveillance and humanitarian purposes. Syria is to retain sovereignty over its administration.

US President Donald Trump will meet Syrian President Ahmad Shaar as early as next week.

At the same time, the United States has stepped up reconnaissance missions at the base, where US transport planes have already landed. The base is close to the planned demilitarised zone between Israel and Syria.

The move fits into a broader US strategy, which already monitors similar ceasefires in the region, for example between Hezbollah and Israel.

Washington wants to finalise an agreement with Damascus by the end of the year as part of a broader vision of a "stable Middle East".

(reuters, swag)