Syrian government forces have gained control of a military base in eastern Syria, previously operated by U.S. troops in the fight against the Islamic State group, according to a statement by the defense ministry on Thursday. The transfer of the al-Tanf base, near the borders with Jordan and Iraq, was carried out in collaboration with the U.S. military, with Syrian forces now overseeing the security of the base and its surroundings.
The handover of the base was confirmed by two anonymous U.S. officials to Reuters. Syrian troops have been deployed in the desert region surrounding the al-Tanf garrison, with plans for border guards to be stationed there in the coming days. This move follows a recent agreement between the Syrian government and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate into the national military.
In recent years, the al-Tanf base faced multiple drone attacks by Iran-backed groups, but these incidents significantly declined after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in December 2024, leading to insurgent groups seizing control in Damascus. The al-Tanf base played a crucial role in the defeat of the Islamic State group, which had proclaimed a caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014 before being vanquished in subsequent years.
The United States has initiated the relocation of numerous ISIS detainees from SDF-run prisons in northeastern Syria to Iraq for prosecution. Meanwhile, Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has expanded his authority, with government forces recently capturing extensive territories in northeast Syria following clashes with the SDF, culminating in a ceasefire agreement.
A United Nations report disclosed that al-Sharaa, along with Syria’s interior and foreign ministers, were targets of five thwarted assassination plots last year. The attempts were attributed to a group believed to be a front for the Islamic State group. The report highlighted the ongoing threat posed by ISIS in Syria, with an estimated 3,000 fighters dispersed across the country, particularly active in the north and northeast regions.
In a bid to counter the Islamic State group, Sharaa’s government has joined an international coalition. Al-Sharaa, formerly associated with a militant group linked to al-Qaeda, has distanced himself from such ties.