The Ministry of Defense’s Media and Communications Directorate announced that Syrian army forces have taken over the al-Shaddadi military base in the southern countryside of al-Hasakah (northeastern Syria), following coordination with the American side.
The move comes as part of a series of rapidly unfolding military developments in eastern Syria, amid indications of a broader repositioning of the US-led International Coalition forces in the area.
Unusual activity preceded the handover
The “al-Hasakah Media Directorate” had previously reported heavy military activity and an “unusual” situation in the skies over al-Shaddadi, including continuous warplane flights and the lowering of the surveillance balloon above the base. This was seen at the time as a sign of expected changes in the nature of the military presence there.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent in al-Hasakah said military movements were recorded in recent days around the International Coalition’s base in al-Shaddadi, including the transfer of vehicles and military equipment from inside the base to outside it, alongside logistical measures that appeared closer to a gradual evacuation of the site.
The al-Shaddadi base, located south of al-Hasakah city, has been one of the most prominent military points used by the International Coalition in its operations against the Islamic State group over the past years, given its proximity to areas where the group’s cells are active in the Badia and its strategic position on supply lines linking northeastern Syria with Iraqi territory.
Withdrawal from al-Tanf, and redeployment?
The handover of the al-Shaddadi base comes days after the International Coalition withdrew from the al-Tanf base, located at the Syrian-Iraqi-Jordanian border triangle in southern Syria.
Reuters reported on Wednesday, 11 February, citing two security sources, that the US-led International Coalition forces withdrew from the al-Tanf base toward Jordanian territory, followed later by an official comment from the Coalition confirming the withdrawal.
For years, al-Tanf served as a main hub for military operations against the Islamic State group in the Syrian Badia, and played a role in monitoring movements along the border corridor between Syria and Iraq, making it a key component of the American deployment framework in southern Syria.
These developments raise questions about the nature of the International Coalition’s military presence in Syria in the coming phase, and whether the current steps are part of a broader redeployment that includes the south and the northeast, or a prelude to a gradual reduction of direct military presence.
Islamic State detainee file returns to the forefront
These moves coincide with the International Coalition’s announcement that it has completed transferring Islamic State detainees held in northeastern Syria to Iraq, within the framework of security coordination between Baghdad and Washington, a file directly linked to the nature of military deployment in the region.
Enab Baladi had followed the transfer operation from its early stages. On 21 January, American Chinook helicopters were observed transporting prisoners from the al-Sina’a Prison in al-Hasakah city, in a notable operation in terms of scale and nature.
Over time, the transport method evolved. In the last week, it shifted into bus convoys through land crossings connecting Syria and Iraq, indicating a move from an initial limited phase to broader, more organized procedures.
The transfers included several prisons in al-Hasakah governorate that had been under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which managed detention centers with support from the International Coalition as part of the fight against the group’s cells.
What the al-Shaddadi handover indicates
The handover of the al-Shaddadi base carries particular significance given its geographic location south of al-Hasakah. It forms a link between the al-Hasakah countryside and Deir Ezzor, and is close to areas that saw Islamic State cell activity in recent years.
The base also served as one of the logistical pillars the Coalition relied on to support SDF operations, whether in pursuing the group’s cells or securing the surroundings of detention centers and camps that host families of Islamic State members.
Field information suggests the handover took place following direct coordination with the American side, as the Ministry of Defense announced, reflecting an organized move away from a sudden or chaotic withdrawal scenario.
Even so, no further details have been issued so far about the nature of the agreement or understandings that accompanied the handover process, nor whether it will include other bases or points in the region.
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