US forces are reportedly gradually withdrawing from the Al-Shaddadi base in Hasakeh province in northeastern Syria, the New Arab's Arabic language edition reported on Thursday.
Sources who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said that forces from the US-led international coalition against IS have begun a withdrawal of their troops and military equipment from the Al-Shaddadi base, which is in the south of Hasakeh province.
The area around the base was recently captured by the Syrian government from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The sources said that a convoy of empty coalition trucks entered earlier today from coalition bases in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq via the Al-Yarubiyah crossing, heading toward the Al-Shaddadi base, in what was considered a prelude to withdrawal from the base, which is regarded as one of the coalition’s most prominent military sites in the region.
They added that US forces have begun transferring part of their military equipment from the Al-Shaddadi base to the Kharab al-Jir base in the Rmeilan area of northeastern Al-Hasakah province, while another portion of the equipment has been moved to coalition bases inside the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
According to the sources, the coalition had been preparing for some time to withdraw from the base, but recent events in Syria delayed this.
Intensive flights by US warplanes and reconnaissance aircraft have been observed in the area, and are believed to be a precautionary measure accompanying the transfer of equipment and redeployment.
US forces have been present in Syria since 2014, but since the Syrian government of President Ahmed Al-Sharaa joined the international coalition against IS last November, there has been debate in the US about the usefulness of maintaining a military presence in Syria.
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that after the Syrian army captured most of the territory once held by the SDF in northeastern Syria, Washington is seriously considering withdrawing all forces from Syria.
The US military movements come amid a new ceasefire agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government regarding northeastern Syria.
Under the plan, government security forces entered the cities of Hasakeh and Qamishli, while also preparing to enter the Kurdish-majority city of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab.
The New Arab has contacted the US Central Command for comment on the latest developments.