Syria’s defense ministry announced its control over the Al-Shadadi military base in the northeast region previously occupied by US forces. This takeover comes shortly after the ministry assumed control of another facility near the Jordan-Iraq borders. The Syrian Arab Army now commands the Al-Shadadi base in the Hasakeh countryside following collaborative efforts with the United States. The base, located outside the town of Al-Shadadi, was a strategic site where US forces, part of the global coalition combatting the Islamic State group, were stationed.
The town of Al-Shadadi also contained a prison where Kurdish forces detained members of the extremist jihadist organization until Syrian government forces advanced into the area last month. This move by the Syrian defense ministry follows the US announcement on Thursday that its troops had left the Al-Tanf base near Syria’s borders with Jordan and Iraq. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) played a crucial role as a key ally of the US-led international coalition in the fight against IS, contributing significantly to the group’s territorial defeat in Syria in 2019.