U.S.-Backed Free Syrian Army Pledges Continued Security Presence at al-Sin Military Airport
By Kardo Roj
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) announced on Saturday that its forces will continue their deployment at al-Sin Military Airport in the eastern countryside of Damascus, citing the need to protect the facility from sabotage and to deter threats posed by Islamic State (ISIS) remnants.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the FSA stated, “We will work day and night to protect civilians and prevent ISIS from gaining access to weapons.” The group emphasized that its ongoing mission is rooted in preventing militant groups from reestablishing a foothold in sensitive military areas.
While al-Sin Airport remains under the formal authority of the Syrian government, the presence of FSA elements—particularly those based out of the U.S.-operated al-Tanf garrison—reflects a broader, complex security dynamic in southern and eastern Syria.
The Free Syrian Army unit referenced in the statement is not to be confused with opposition factions operating in northern Syria under the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). Rather, this FSA faction operates in southern Syria and is supported by the U.S.-led Global Coalition, primarily in the al-Tanf zone near the Syrian-Jordanian-Iraqi tri-border.
Comprising an estimated 500 fighters, including former Syrian military officers who defected early in the civil war, this faction has participated in periodic joint exercises with Coalition forces. Its presence at al-Sin Airport has not been formally acknowledged by Damascus, and the Syrian government has previously criticized foreign military presence on its soil as a violation of sovereignty.
Though the group positions itself as a local counterterrorism force, its role remains sensitive in the broader geopolitical chessboard involving the Syrian government, Iran-linked militias, and U.S. interests in the region.
Despite the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2019, the group’s remnants continue to launch sporadic attacks across Syria’s central desert (Badiya), often targeting Syrian government forces, Iranian-backed militias, and occasionally convoys affiliated with the Coalition.
The al-Tanf garrison, where the FSA is based, has repeatedly faced drone and rocket attacks attributed to pro-Iranian forces. The continued deployment of U.S.-aligned groups, such as the FSA, is widely viewed as part of Washington’s strategy to contain both ISIS insurgents and Iranian expansion in the region.