U.S. begins construction on new military bases in North and East Syria

HASAKAH, Syria – The United States military began construction on a base near the town of Tel Brak, located about 40 km northeast of Hasakah city. The new base will effectively prevent the Russian forces from using the road to reach the oilfield areas in the city of Rmelan, one of the most important oil production centers in North Syria.

Last week, the U.S. transferred equipment and building materials from Iraq to Tel Brak through the al-Waleed border crossing. Helicopters constantly hover over the base building area. Work on the new base has been ongoing since 3 February.

In addition, the U.S. military presence in the city of Deir ez-Zor has started to convert a former Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) base south of Hasakah city into a military facility where the US plans to use the new base as a building for offices to monitor and manage oil production in the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump had announced at the end of October last year that the U.S. would completely withdraw its troops from Syria. However, that decision has transformed into a partial withdrawal from “Operation Peace Spring” areas Turkish wishes to occupy and the maintaining of a U.S. presence in the oil-rich Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah regions to control the oilfields.