US military completes handover of major bases in Syria, says Central Command

The US completed the transfer of all major military bases in Syria, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday.

"US forces have completed turning over all of our major bases in Syria, as part of a deliberate and conditions-based transition by Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve," spokesman Tim Hawkins told Anadolu.

The US forces are still backing counterterrorism operations led by local partners, which Hawkins said are "essential" to sustaining ISIS (Daesh) defeat and improving security across the region.

Syria's Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ministry on Thursday welcomed the completed handover of military sites.

"The extension of Syrian state authority over areas that had previously been outside its control — including the northeast and border regions — is the result of the Syrian government’s sustained efforts to unify the country within the framework of a single state," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also said the transfer signaled the "successful integration" of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into national structures, and the assumption by the Syrian state of "full responsibility" for counterterrorism operations and regional security threats.

On Jan. 30, the Syrian government announced that it had reached a comprehensive agreement with the SDF aimed at ending divisions in the country and launching a new phase of integration.