Syria takes over bases previously hosting US forces in "coordinated handover”

• The Syrian Army officially took control of the Qasrak airbase following a coordinated withdrawal by US forces.
• A US military convoy of armored vehicles was seen near Qamishli heading toward the Al-Yaarubiyah border crossing into Iraq.

Syria confirmed on Thursday that it has officially taken control of all military bases previously hosting United States forces, marking the end of a years-long deployment under the US-led international coalition against Daesh. 

Smooth handover and coordination

The Syrian Foreign Ministry welcomed the transition, stating in a release that the "ongoing and final handover process" of the military sites to the Syrian government was executed with "high professionalism and full coordination between the Syrian and US governments."

The diplomatic statement followed an announcement from the Ministry of Defense, which confirmed that units of the Syrian Arab Army had successfully taken over the Qasrak airbase in the Hasakah countryside following the departure of coalition forces.

An anonymous military source confirmed the transition on the ground, telling AFP that "forces from the 60th Division and forces from the 66th Division entered the center of the Qasrak base after US forces withdrew," confirming that the facility is now entirely empty of American troops.

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Convoy spotted heading to Iraq

The Qasrak base, located approximately 40 kilometers north of Hasakah city, was one of the most prominent US military installations in northeastern Syria. 

In recent months, it had served as a primary logistical hub for moving military convoys and equipment toward Iraq.

AFP reported witnessing a US military convoy on the international highway near Qamishli. The convoy, consisting of approximately 15 American armored vehicles and transport trucks flying the US flag, was seen heading toward the Al-Yaarubiyah border crossing into Iraq.

Timeline of recent withdrawals

The departure from Qasrak is the latest in a series of rapidly executed withdrawals. During February, US forces pulled out of the Al-Tanf base on the Syrian-Iraqi border and a base on the outskirts of Al-Shaddadi -which formerly housed a Kurdish-run prison for extremist fighters- before government forces advanced into the area. 

In March, US troops subsequently withdrew from the Rmeilan base in the northeast.

These movements align with a timeline reported in February, just days before the outbreak of the US and ‘Israeli’ war on Iran, when sources indicated to AFP that coalition forces planned to complete their full withdrawal from Syria within a month.

Evolving US relations with Damascus

The US military originally deployed troops to Syria and Iraq in 2014 to combat Daesh, serving for years as the primary backer of Kurdish forces until the group's territorial defeat.

However, the political landscape has shifted dramatically over the past year. Following the overthrow of the previous Syrian government, Washington quickly emerged as a primary supporter of President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his ongoing efforts to unify the country after years of extensive conflict.

As part of this unification process, Syrian authorities have recently expanded their control over northeastern areas previously held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). 

Clashes between the two sides recently concluded with an agreement to integrate the autonomous administration's institutions into the official state framework.