AhlulBayt News Agency: A United States delegation is reportedly preparing to visit Syria within days for talks with officials from the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) administration, potentially to finalize a deal for establishing a permanent military base.
According to local sources, the proposed base would be built in the al-Tanf region—an area of strategic importance near the borders with Iraq and Jordan.
The same sources claim this visit would mark the first official US move toward a permanent base in Syria since the reported downfall of Bashar al-Assad last December.
In addition, the US delegation is said to be seeking approval to construct a naval facility on Syria’s western coast under the HTS administration’s oversight.
If finalized, the new bases would extend the US military presence in Syria, while reducing overall troop numbers from approximately 2,000 to 500.
On April 18, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced that the US plans to cut its force levels in Syria to fewer than 1,000 troops in the coming months, describing it as a deliberate and conditions-based reduction.
Currently, US forces operate from multiple bases across northeastern Syria, despite no official authorization from the Syrian government.
Although the Pentagon claims its presence prevents Daesh from reclaiming nearby oilfields, Damascus accuses the US of exploiting Syria’s natural resources.
Over the years, videos have emerged showing US tankers transporting Syrian crude oil from the north to bases in northern Iraq, reinforcing accusations of systematic plundering.
Former President Donald Trump openly stated that American troops remained in Syria to control its oil.
There have also been repeated allegations that the US and its allies provided indirect support to Daesh to destabilize the region.
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