US forces secretly enter military base in Syria's Raqqa

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A London-based news website reported on Saturday that the US forces have in the past few days trafficked in al-Jazrah military base near al-Raqqa city in Northern Syria.

The pro-militant Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) quoted informed sources as saying that the US forces have held secret meetings with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militants in al-Jazrah base.

It added that al-Jazrah is one of the largest bases of the international coalition in which the Kurdish militants have been deployed, noting that the US forces have several times visited the base in the past few days.

The report claimed that the US forces will possibly be deployed at the base to strengthen their presence in Eastern Euphrates again.

Also, sources affiliated to the SOHR reported that hundreds of SDF forces have been stationed in the US bases in Deir Ezzur and Hasaka.

Earlier reports in December said that the US troops had returned to six out of 16 bases and outposts in Syria that had been previously abandoned during the October withdrawal ahead of a Turkish military operation in the country's North.

Anadolu news agency’s report clarified that the American soldiers had mainly been deployed to the oil rich regions in the country's Northeast close to its borders with Iraq and Turkey.

According to Anadolu's information, the US holds a total of 11 bases and outposts, five of them located in Deir Ezzur Province, two more in Raqqa. They are also reportedly building two additional outposts in Deir Ezzur Province.

Previously, the news agency reported that Washington had sent a group of experts to the al-Omar oil field in Deir Ezzur Province, currently controlled by local Kurdish militia. These experts are reportedly expected to boost oil production and to train local Kurds how to operate the oil field properly.

US President Donald Trump announced the intention to withdraw American troops from Syria in October just days ahead of the start of a Turkish military operation in the North targeting US allies - Kurdish fighters, which Ankara views as terrorists.

....................................
End/ 257