Syrian defense minister, anti-ISIS coalition commander discuss mechanism for handover of al-Tanf base
Damascus says talks covered security arrangements and coordination following US withdrawal from the strategic southern Syria outpost
The "Military Exhibition of the Syrian Revolution" opens with the participation of Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, several ministers, and senior military commanders in Damascus, Syria on December 5, 2025. Photo:Hisam Hac Omer/AA
ISTANBUL
Syria’s defense minister held on Thursday talks with the commander of the US-led coalition against ISIS (Daesh) terror group on mechanisms for the handover and security of the al-Tanf base located at the junction of the Iraqi and Jordanian borders.
A Defense Ministry statement said Maj. Gen. Murhaf Abu Qasra spoke by phone with Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Lambert, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force–Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR).
The call addressed a number of issues of mutual interest, including matters related to the al-Tanf base and arrangements for its handover to the Syrian Army and its security “in a way that ensures stability in the surrounding area.”
Both sides stressed the importance of continued coordination and strengthening frameworks for cooperation, which help reinforce stability and support bilateral relations.
The talks come after Syrian government forces took control of the al-Tanf base following the withdrawal of US troops after nearly a decade.
US forces are said to have withdrawn to a base known as Tower 22, which sits near the demilitarized zone on the border between Jordan and Syria and is located 22 kilometers (13 miles) from al-Tanf.
Although around 200 US troops were said to be stationed at al-Tanf at one point, there is no confirmed data on the number of US personnel deployed at Tower 22.
The US military confirmed on Thursday that it completed its withdrawal from the al-Tanf garrison on Feb. 11. In a statement, the US Central Command said the move was part of a “deliberate and conditions-based transition” under the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, established in 2014 to fight ISIS.
CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said “U.S. forces remain poised to respond to any ISIS threats that arise in the region as we support partner-led efforts to prevent the terrorist network’s resurgence.”
“Maintaining pressure on ISIS is essential to protecting the U.S. homeland and strengthening regional security,” he added.
The US had used the al-Tanf base, which was expanded in 2017 and 2018, along with surveillance balloons deployed there to monitor the military activities of Iran-backed groups and the ISIS terrorist organization across a stretch of hundreds of kilometers between the Jordanian border and the Euphrates River.
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