Syrian Army takes over Al-Shaddadi military base in Hasakah after coordination with US

By Laith Al-jnaidi

DAMASCUS (AA) – The Syrian Army has taken over the Al-Shaddadi military base in the countryside of Hasakah in northeastern Syria, following coordination with the US, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.

The army assumed control of the base after coordination with the US side, the SANA news agency said, citing the ministry’s Media and Communications Directorate, without providing further details.

The base is considered one of the most prominent strategic sites in the Syrian Jazira region, owing to its geographic location linking the governorates of Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor.

The base had been under the control of the US-led international coalition against ISIS (Daesh) terror group since 2016, and was used as a main hub for managing operations and securing oil fields.

Northeastern Syria, commonly referred to as the Jazira region, encompasses the country’s territory east and north of the Euphrates River. The area is among Syria’s most resource-rich regions, containing much of the country’s oil and gas reserves as well as other underground resources.

On Thursday, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra held talks with the commander of the US-led coalition against ISIS to discuss mechanisms for the handover and security of the al-Tanf base located at junction of the Iraqi and Jordanian borders.

The talks come after Syrian government forces took control of the al-Tanf base following the withdrawal of US troops after nearly a decade.

US forces are said to have withdrawn to a base known as Tower 22, which sits near the demilitarized zone on the border between Jordan and Syria and is located 22 kilometers (13 miles) from al-Tanf.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala