All of the American forces in Syria have departed the Middle Eastern country and handed over control of all the military bases to the Syrian forces.
The final convoy of U.S. soldiers and their equipment departed the Qasrak air base on Thursday, April 16, 2026, putting an end to the military presence that began in 2014. American forces entered the country to fight ISIS alongside Kurdish-led fighters, now known as Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Damascus declared the departure of foreign forces as a success of integration of Kurdish fighters into the national structure.
Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates described the development as bringing the whole country, including the border regions and the northeast, under one national authority.
It also hailed the constructive relationship between the U.S. and Syrian government that has developed since Ahmad Al-Sharaa took over as president.
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said the departure of American forces from Syria was part of “deliberate and conditions-based transition”.
The development comes after the Al-Sharaa administration reached an agreement with SDF to integrate them into the Syrian National Army in January 2026.
The deal was struck after government forces fought against the SDF and regained control of much of the territory previously held by the SDF.
Damascus has joined the international cooperation against ISIL, effectively putting an end to the rationale of the presence of U.S. forces in the country.
