Qamishli, Syria. U.S. forces began pulling out of their largest base in northeastern Syria on Monday, according to three Syrian military and security sources, as the U.S.-allied government in Damascus consolidates control. Witnesses reported convoys leaving the base at Qasrak in Hasakah province.
Convoys depart Qasrak base
Dozens of trucks, some carrying armoured vehicles, departed Qasrak on Monday morning, witnesses said. Reuters footage later showed the trucks moving along a highway on the outskirts of the city of Qamishli.
No immediate comment from U.S. military and local parties
The U.S. military’s Central Command (Centcom) did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Neither the Syrian defence ministry nor the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) responded to requests for comment.
Timeline and scope of withdrawal
One Syrian source, a military official briefed on U.S. plans, said the pullout was expected to take about a month, but it remained unclear whether the withdrawal from the base was temporary or permanent. A second Syrian source briefed on U.S. plans said it would take a number of weeks.
Remaining footprint and broader departures
A full withdrawal from Qasrak would still leave the U.S.-led coalition with a base in Rmelan, also known as Kharab al-Jir, near the Iraqi border.
Qasrak has been a main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria, where U.S. troops deployed over a decade ago and partnered with the SDF against the jihadist group.
Since government forces under President Ahmed al-Sharaa seized control of swathes of the northeast from the SDF last month, U.S. forces have withdrawn from a base at al-Shaddadi in Hasakah province and a garrison at al-Tanf, located at the intersection of Syria’s border with Iraq and Jordan.
A senior U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday that some U.S. troops were leaving Syria as part of a “deliberate and conditions-based transition.”
What do you think the reported U.S. withdrawals could mean for security in northeastern Syria?
