3 days ago
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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian authorities forces person taken power of a basal successful the eastbound of the state that was tally for years by U.S. troops arsenic portion of the warfare against the Islamic State group, the Defense Ministry said successful a connection Thursday.
The al-Tanf basal sits connected a strategical location, adjacent to the borders with Jordan and Iraq. In a terse statement, the Syrian Defense Ministry said the handover of the basal took spot successful coordination with the U.S. subject and Syrian forces are present “securing the basal and its perimeters.”
The U.S. subject did not instantly respond to an email from The Associated Press regarding the Syrian statement.
The Syrian Defense Ministry besides said that Syrian troops are present successful spot successful the godforsaken country astir the al-Tanf garrison, with borderline guards to deploy successful the coming days.
The deployment of Syrian troops astatine al-Tanf and successful the surrounding areas comes aft past month’s woody betwixt the authorities and the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, oregon SDF, to merge into the military.
Al-Tanf garrison was repeatedly attacked implicit the past years with drones by Iran-backed groups but specified attacks person dropped sharply pursuing the autumn of Bashar Assad’s authorities successful Syria successful December 2024 erstwhile insurgent groups marched into his spot of powerfulness successful Damascus.
Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been expanding his power of the country, and past period authorities forces captured wide parts of northeast Syria aft deadly clashes with the SDF. A ceasefire was aboriginal reached betwixt the 2 sides.
Al-Tanf basal played a large relation successful the combat against the Islamic State radical that declared a caliphate successful ample parts of Syria and Iraq successful 2014. IS was defeated successful Iraq successful 2017 and successful Syria 2 years later.
Over the past weeks, the U.S. subject began transferring thousands of IS prisoners from prisons tally by the SDF successful northeastern Syria to Iraq, wherever they volition beryllium prosecuted.
The fig of U.S. troops posted successful Syria has changed implicit the years.
The fig of U.S. troops accrued to much than 2,000 aft the Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught by Hamas successful Israel, arsenic Iranian-backed militants targeted American troops and interests successful the portion successful effect to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
The unit has since been drawn backmost down to astir 900.
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Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue successful Beirut contributed to this report.
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