US Delegation to Visit Syria for New Military Base Talks
Washington eyes formal deal with HTS to construct permanent military and naval bases, further entrenching its unauthorized presence in Syria
Syria, PUREWILAYAH.COM - A US delegation is reportedly going to visit Damascus in the coming days to seek approval for the construction of a new military base in Syria’s strategic al-Tanf region, according to informed sources.
The visit is said to involve direct talks with officials from the ruling Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) administration and may result in a formal deal for the establishment of a permanent US military base in the country.
Strategic Location: al-Tanf and Syria's Western Coast
According to local sources, the planned military installation would be established in the strategic al-Tanf region, near the borders with Iraq and Jordan.
The sources added that this would be the first official visit of its kind for the formal establishment of a US base on Syrian territory following the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad in December.
In addition to the al-Tanf base, the US delegation is also expected to push for the construction of a naval base on Syria's western coast, seeking HTS administration approval for that purpose as well.
Base Expansion to Secure Long-Term US Military Presence
The same sources noted that these developments would serve to perpetuate the presence of US military forces on Syrian soil, while at the same time reducing troop numbers from 2,000 to 500.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement on April 18 that the US military intends to reduce its presence in Syria to less than 1,000 troops in the coming months.
“This deliberate and conditions-based process will bring the US footprint in Syria down to less than a thousand US forces in the coming months,” Parnell stated.
Troop Reduction Without Timeline, But Presence Remains
While the Pentagon did not provide a specific timeline or number of troops to be pulled out, The New York Times reported earlier that 600 troops would remain.
Currently, the US military maintains approximately 2,000 troops stationed across several bases in northeastern Syria.
Unauthorized Deployment Since 2014
Since 2014, the US military has deployed its forces and equipment in northeastern Syria without any authorization from the Syrian government.
The Pentagon has claimed that the deployment was aimed at preventing the area’s oilfields from falling into the hands of Daesh remnants.
However, Damascus maintains that the true purpose of the deployment is to plunder the country’s natural resources.
Footage and Reports Reveal Oil Smuggling Operations
Over the past years, multiple footage has emerged revealing that US occupation forces have been using tanker trucks to smuggle Syrian crude oil from the country's northern provinces to US-controlled bases in northern Iraq.
This has been described as part of Washington’s systematic looting of Syria’s basic commodities.
Former US President Donald Trump has openly admitted on several occasions that American forces were in Syria to secure and control its oil wealth.
US Involvement in Supporting Daesh
In addition, several reports over the past years have shown Washington’s direct or indirect support for the Daesh terrorist group, often channeled through its regional allies.
These revelations further expose the underlying motives of the US military presence, which continues to operate in violation of Syrian sovereignty and international law. (PW)
Source: Mehr News Agency