In milestone, US pulls out of strategic Syria base and hands it over to Damascus

WASHINGTON: The US military said it completed a withdrawal from a strategic base in Syria on Thursday, handing it over to Syrian forces, in the latest sign of strengthening US-Syrian ties that could enable an even larger American drawdown.

The al-Tanf garrison is positioned at the tri-border confluence of Syria, Jordan and Iraq.

Established during Syria’s civil war in 2014, the United States initially relied on it as a hub for operations by the US-led coalition against Islamic State militants who once controlled a vast swathe of territory in Iraq and Syria before being defeated in 2019.

But the base became a key foothold in a battle against Iranian influence due to its strategic position along roadways linking Damascus to Tehran. Although Washington long saw keeping the base as worthwhile, the Trump administration recalculated when relations fundamentally shifted after longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December 2024.

Syria joined the coalition battling the remnants of Islamic State last November when President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander, visited the White House for talks with President Donald Trump.

David Adesnik at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think-tank in Washington questioned Syrian forces’ ability to pick up the slack following the US departure.

“And the Syrian army has incorporated thousands of ex-jihadists,” Adesnik said.

“The mission at Tanf also served as an obstacle to the operations of Iran and its proxies, who ship weapons across Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon. This is an own goal.”

Syria’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday that government forces had taken control of al-Tanf following coordination between Syrian and US authorities.

The US military’s Central Command confirmed al-Tanf’s handover in a statement and noted that the Pentagon announced plans to consolidate basing locations in Syria last year.

“US forces remain poised to respond to any ISIS threats that arise in the region as we support partner-led efforts to prevent the terrorist network’s resurgence,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads Central Command, using an acronym for Islamic State.