US pulls out of strategic military base and hands it over to Syria

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the completion of the withdrawal of American forces from the al-Tanf Garrison in Syria on February 11, 2026. This departure is part of a broader shift in U.S. posture in the region under Operation Inherent Resolve, the mission to combat ISIS. The Syrian Defense Ministry stated that government forces have taken control of the base and are deploying along the borders with Iraq and Jordan, coordinated with U.S. officials. Al-Tanf was a strategically important garrison, providing access and intelligence along Syria's borders. While the U.S. is comfortable with the counter-ISIS fight, the withdrawal could be a setback for Jordan. Despite the withdrawal, U.S. forces remain prepared to counter ISIS threats.

A UN report revealed that five assassination plots targeting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his ministers were foiled last year. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for two attempts on al-Sharaa's life, styling the former Islamist rebel leader as an apostate after he met with the US president. Since the fall of Assad in December 2024, IS has increased recruitment and aims to destabilize the new Syrian government by exploiting security gaps. The UN estimates IS has 3,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, with al-Sharaa being their primary target in Syria. Damascus joined the anti-IS coalition in November and now controls al-Hawl camp, holding thousands of IS relatives, which analysts warn is a potential radicalization risk.

A UN report revealed that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab, and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani were targets of five foiled assassination attempts by ISIL (ISIS) in the past year. The attacks occurred in northern Aleppo and southern Deraa. The UN identified "Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah" as the perpetrators, assessing it to be an ISIL front organization designed to provide plausible deniability and improve operational capacity. The report highlights ISIL's continued efforts to destabilize Syria's transitional government by exploiting security gaps. Al-Sharaa, who assumed leadership in December 2024 after ousting Bashar al-Assad, has led Syria in joining the international coalition against ISIL.

The US military withdrew from the al-Tanf garrison in Syria on Thursday, handing it over to Syrian forces. Established in 2014 during the Syrian civil war, the base initially served as a hub for the US-led coalition against ISIS. Located at the intersection of the Syrian, Jordanian, and Iraqi borders, al-Tanf later became a strategic point in countering Iranian influence. The withdrawal follows a shift in US-Syrian relations after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow in December 2024. Syria joined the coalition against ISIS remnants last November, after President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White House.