US Forces Begin Withdrawal from Strategic Base in Northeast Syria

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

The US military has started evacuating Qasrak, its largest base in northeastern Syria, moving armored vehicles and personnel toward northern Iraq.

This redeployment is expected to take several weeks as high-tech equipment is carefully transported across the border.

The move follows the Syrian army taking control of the region after Kurdish-led forces reached an agreement with Damascus. Similar exits have already occurred at the al-Tanf and al-Shaddadi bases, which are now fully secured by the Syrian government.

Confirming the rapid timeline for the departure, a Syrian government official stated, “Within a month, they will have withdrawn from Syria, and there will no longer be any military presence in the bases.”

This pullout is part of a broader reduction of the US footprint, which has dropped from 1,500 to 900 personnel since July. While a small unit remains in Rmelan, the Trump administration intends to end all US military involvement in the country shortly.

Analysts suggest the withdrawal aims to protect troops from potential confrontations with Iran, which have left isolated Syrian bases vulnerable.

This shift coincides with the evacuation of personnel from other major regional hubs in Qatar and Bahrain.

Despite the exit, security remains fragile as ISIL has launched new attacks in Raqa. With US-trained Kurdish forces now integrating into the national army, the Syrian government has assumed full responsibility for containing extremist threats.