Al Arabiya TV, citing an Iraqi security source, reported on Thursday that U.S. forces have begun withdrawing from the Al-Shaddadi base in Syria’s Al-Hasakah Governorate, heading toward Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The development comes as local networks report that international coalition forces have started evacuating several military installations in northeastern Syria, including the Khrab al-Jir base in Al-Hasakah.
At the same time, social media users circulated photos and videos showing coalition forces transferring detained ISIS members from prisons in Al-Hasakah to Iraq. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the operation following the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from guarding ISIS detention facilities and handing responsibility over to the Syrian government.
The morning and afternoon hours also saw heavy helicopter activity over Al-Hasakah city, coinciding with extensive ground movements by coalition units.
In a statement released Wednesday, CENTCOM announced that U.S. forces conducted five airstrikes against ISIS targets across Syria between December 27 and February 2. According to the statement, the operations were carried out alongside continued pressure from “partner forces” to ensure the “permanent defeat of the terrorist network.”
CENTCOM added that the strikes “identified and destroyed an ISIS communications site, a critical logistics node, and weapons depots,” using 50 precision-guided munitions launched from fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and drones.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
