The US has left its strategic base in Syria and handed it over to Damascus

The US military announced on Thursday that it had completed its withdrawal from the strategic al-Tanf base in southern Syria and handed it over to Syrian government forces. This is another sign of rapprochement between Washington and Damascus, which could lead to a broader withdrawal of US troops from Syria.

The al-Tanf base is located on the border between Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. The US established it in 2014 during the Syrian civil war as a center of operations for the coalition against the Islamic State, which was defeated in 2019.

It later became an important point in limiting Iran's influence, as it lies on the route between Damascus and Tehran.

However, relations changed dramatically after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Syria joined the coalition against the remnants of IS last November after talks between President Ahmed al-Sharif and Donald Trump.

The US command confirmed the handover of the base and stressed that the US is ready to respond to IS threats. According to Reuters sources, soldiers are moving to Jordan. The withdrawal may be a harbinger of a broader departure, with the US already reducing its role in guarding prisons holding Islamic State fighters.

(reuters, est)