In a significant strategic shift in the Middle East, United States forces have formally withdrawn from the strategic al-Tanf military base in southern Syria, transferring control to Syrian government troops. The move, confirmed by both US Central Command and Syria’s defense ministry on Thursday, represents a deliberate reorientation of American military presence in the region.
The al-Tanf base, situated at the critical tri-border junction of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, served as a key operational hub since its establishment following the 2014 intervention against Islamic State. US Central Command characterized the departure as an ‘orderly withdrawal’ executed as part of a ‘conditions-based transition’ to consolidate American positions throughout Syria.
This withdrawal forms part of a broader American strategic pivot away from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) toward supporting President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government. The Trump administration appears to be facilitating Damascus’s ability to fill security vacuums created by the US drawdown, while reportedly relying on regional allies including Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to bolster the Syrian government.
Concurrently, the United States has overseen the transfer of thousands of Islamic State group prisoners from northeastern Syria—previously guarded by SDF forces—to detention facilities in Iraq.
The base’s strategic significance extended beyond counterterrorism operations, having evolved into a crucial node for disrupting Iranian supply lines to the Assad government and Hezbollah following ISIS’s territorial defeat in 2019. The installation previously came under attack from Iran-aligned militias in 2024 amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
This realignment follows earlier administration support for offensive operations by Sharaa’s forces against the SDF, which resulted in the Kurdish-led group ceding substantial territories to Damascus. A subsequent US-brokered agreement will integrate SDF fighters into the Syrian army while permitting Kurdish forces to maintain security oversight in Kurdish-majority areas.
The al-Tanf garrison previously housed US troops alongside a contingent of US-trained Arab rebel fighters. Reports indicate withdrawing personnel will redeploy to Jordan, where America maintains an established network of desert bases along the border region.