US Army exit Syria after 12 years:Troops head to Jordan; Damascus asserts unified administration and control across country

The United States has completed its military withdrawal from Syria, ending nearly 12 years of presence in the war-torn country. The final American convoy departed from Kasrak Airbase in Hasaka in April, marking the closure of all US bases in the region. Following the withdrawal, the Syrian government has taken control of all vacated military installations. According to Syria’s Foreign Ministry, the development represents a “major turning point” toward national unification and the restoration of state authority across the country. US Central Command confirmed that around 2,000 American troops have been redeployed to neighbouring Jordan as part of the drawdown. The US exit involved at least seven key bases across northeastern Syria, including locations in Hasaka, Rumeilan and Deir ez-Zor, with Kasrak Airbase being the last to be vacated. SDF integration gains momentum The withdrawal has significantly altered the balance of power on the ground, particularly for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led coalition that had controlled large parts of northeastern Syria with US backing for nearly a decade. In the wake of the US departure, ties between Damascus and the SDF have improved, leading to a series of agreements aimed at integrating Kurdish forces into the Syrian state structure. Under a deal reached earlier, Kurdish fighters are being gradually absorbed into the Syrian national army, while control of border posts and key government institutions is being handed over to Damascus. Syrian government forces have already been deployed in cities such as Hasaka and Qamishli, expanding state control over strategic areas. The integration process follows renewed negotiations after clashes earlier this year, culminating in a fresh agreement in March to bring the SDF and Kurdish administrative bodies under the national framework. Senior-level talks have also taken place in Damascus involving Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi and political leader Ilham Ahmed, signalling a shift toward political reconciliation. Strategic shift after US exit The US withdrawal is widely seen as a decisive turning point in Syria’s ongoing conflict dynamics. The SDF, which had relied heavily on American military support, now faces a transformed security environment. With the absence of US forces, the SDF has been compelled to engage more directly with the Syrian government, accepting terms that were previously resisted. The shift has also had economic implications, with major oil and gas fields such as Al-Omar and Conoco, once under SDF control, increasingly coming under government authority, strengthening Damascus’s resource base. Regional dynamics have further influenced the transition. Turkey, which considers the SDF a terrorist organisation, had been restrained in its actions due to the US presence. Following the withdrawal, concerns over potential Turkish military action added pressure on the SDF to reach an understanding with Damascus. Security concerns remain Despite the consolidation of government control, security challenges persist. Residual networks of the Islamic State (ISIS) remain active in parts of the country, posing an ongoing threat even as the Syrian government assumes full responsibility for national security. At the same time, Syria has signalled a shift in its international positioning by joining the global anti-ISIS coalition, a move that analysts say has weakened the justification for continued US military presence in the country. US–Syria relations show signs of thaw The withdrawal comes amid a broader recalibration in US-Syria relations. Ties, which had been strained for decades, have shown signs of improvement following the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024. A key moment came in May 2025, when US President Donald Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara in Saudi Arabia. The meeting was followed by Washington’s decision to lift most sanctions on Syria. Historically, diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to 1835 but deteriorated sharply after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. In 2012, the US severed ties with Damascus and designated Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, citing human rights violations, alleged use of chemical weapons, and links to Iran and Hezbollah. The US had also backed opposition forces and conducted military operations against ISIS from 2014, deploying hundreds of troops in eastern Syria as part of the campaign. With the American exit now complete, Syria enters a new phase marked by shifting alliances, internal integration efforts and lingering security risks. ​