US completes handover of major bases in Syria amid Kurdish integration deal
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Friday that U.S. forces have completed the transfer of all major military bases in Syria as part of what it described as a “deliberate and conditions-based transition.”
“US forces have completed turning over all of our major bases in Syria,” CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins told Anadolu, referring to the process carried out under the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
Despite the handover, Hawkins said U.S. forces continue to support counterterrorism operations led by local partners, describing these efforts as “essential” to sustaining the defeat of ISIS and improving regional security.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the development on April 16, saying the transfer of military sites reflects the extension of state authority into areas that were previously outside government control, including the northeast and border regions.
In a statement, the ministry said the move signals the “successful integration” of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into national structures and the Syrian state’s assumption of “full responsibility” for counterterrorism operations and regional security threats.
The handover comes in the context of an agreement announced on January 29 between Damascus and the SDF aimed at integrating SDF and AANES institutions in northeast Syria into the Syrian state.