The Syrian Ministry of Defense of the interim authority announced on Sunday that it had taken control of the Al-Shaddadi military base in the countryside of Al-Hasakah in northeastern Syria, following coordination with the U.S. side, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
SANA quoted the Ministry’s Media and Communication Directorate as saying, “Syrian army forces have taken over the Al-Shaddadi military base in the countryside of Al-Hasakah after coordination with the American side.”
U.S. forces had been stationed at the Al-Shaddadi base as part of the international coalition’s mission against the Islamic State group (ISIS). The base was located within areas of influence of Kurdish forces in Al-Hasakah province.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights cited sources as saying that forces affiliated with Syria’s transitional government received the Al-Shaddadi military base on Sunday after direct coordination with the U.S. side, following the withdrawal of American troops from positions in the area. The move comes in implementation of an agreement between the transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to redeploy forces with the aim of restoring security and stability in the region.
According to the sources, the handover followed the U.S. withdrawal from the Al-Tanf base and the reorganization of the U.S. military presence in Syria. Meanwhile, the Internal Security Forces (Kurdish Asayish) continue to deploy in areas vacated by the SDF, alongside forces affiliated with the transitional government, in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
The base is located on the outskirts of the town of Al-Shaddadi, which had housed a prison where Kurdish forces detained members of the extremist group before Syrian army forces advanced into the area last January.
These developments come after recent ceasefire agreements and security arrangements between the Syrian government and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Last Thursday, the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that it had taken control of the Al-Tanf military base, noting that units of the Syrian army had begun deploying to secure the base and its surroundings.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that it had completed the orderly withdrawal of American forces from the Al-Tanf base in Syria as part of a deliberate and conditions-based transition led by the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Brad Cooper said that American forces remain prepared to respond to any threats posed by ISIS in the region, adding that maintaining pressure on ISIS is essential to strengthening regional security.
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