US plans limited military presence at Damascus airbase, sources say
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United States is preparing to establish a limited military presence at an airbase in Damascus as part of wider security discussions between Washington and Syria, six informed sources told Reuters this week.
According to the report, the planned U.S. presence is linked to ongoing efforts to monitor a proposed non-aggression agreement between Syria and Israel. The sources—two Western officials and a Syrian defense official—said that the deployment would focus on surveillance, refueling, and humanitarian operations, while the Syrian state would retain sovereignty over the facility.
A U.S. administration official told Reuters that Washington “constantly evaluates its necessary posture in Syria to effectively combat ISIS” but declined to confirm the specific location of any base for security reasons. The Pentagon did not comment on the report.
The move would mark the first official U.S. presence in the Syrian capital since the outbreak of conflict more than a decade ago and follows the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in 2024. His successor, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has indicated openness to cooperation with the United States on counterterrorism and stability initiatives.
According to Syrian military sources, U.S. reconnaissance aircraft recently conducted technical assessments at the airbase to confirm operational readiness. The site, they said, could support logistics and humanitarian operations under joint Syrian-American coordination.
A Western defense source confirmed that reconnaissance missions were completed in recent weeks and described the base as suitable for immediate use. “It’s mainly a monitoring hub, not a combat base,” the source was quoted as saying.
The reported plan comes amid continued U.S. military cooperation with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria, where American troops have been deployed for nearly a decade to support the SDF’s campaign against ISIS remnants. While U.S. troop levels there have been reduced, the partnership remains central to counterterrorism operations and regional stability.
Officials from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) have repeatedly emphasized that U.S.-SDF coordination is vital for maintaining security and preventing ISIS regrouping, especially as regional power dynamics evolve.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House next week, marking the first official visit by a Syrian head of state to Washington. Sources familiar with the discussions said the meeting may include talks on the base agreement and Syria’s potential inclusion in the global anti-ISIS coalition.