Damascus Says It Took Over Ash Shaddadi Base as Coalition Footprint Shrinks in Syria
Syria’s interim authorities said Sunday that government forces have taken control of Ash Shaddadi military base in Al Hasakah Governorate after coordination with the United States, a move they presented as another milestone in the changing US-led coalition posture in the country.
In a short statement, the defense authority in Damascus said its army assumed control of the facility south of Al Hasakah city. The announcement did not specify when the transfer took place, what units will be stationed there going forward, or how the base will be used under the new arrangement.
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The Ash Shaddadi handover comes as reports in recent days have pointed to a reduction or repositioning of US-led coalition forces from several locations in Syria, including the well-known al-Tanf garrison near the Syria-Iraq-Jordan border. Syrian interim officials have described those shifts as coordinated and followed by deployments of pro-Damascus forces and border guard units to fill vacated positions.
Ash Shaddadi has been a key node in northeastern Syria for years. During the campaign against the Islamic State group, the site hosted US and partner forces working with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led coalition that has controlled large swaths of territory east of the Euphrates. The base sits near important routes and in an area that has seen recurring security incidents, including attacks attributed to Islamic State cells.
The transfer also fits into a broader political recalibration in the northeast. Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces have announced ceasefire and integration understandings intended to reduce clashes and gradually fold local security and administrative structures into state institutions, though the details and timelines have remained contested and uneven across the region.
US officials have not publicly addressed the reported Ash Shaddadi handover. Washington has repeatedly said its presence in Syria is focused on preventing an Islamic State resurgence, even as it reviews force posture and makes adjustments across the Middle East.
