In milestone, US pulls out of strategic Syria base and hands it over to Damascus

A satellite image shows the al-Tanf Base, in Syria, in this image taken July 20, 2025. 2026 PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via REUTERS

WASHINGTON, Feb ⁠12 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said it completed a withdrawal from a strategic base in Syria on Thursday, handing it over to Syrian forces, ⁠in the latest sign of strengthening U.S.-Syrian ties that could enable an even larger American drawdown.

The al-Tanf garrison is positioned at ‌the tri-border confluence of Syria, Jordan and Iraq.