U.S. forces begin withdrawal from Qasrak base in northeastern Syria

U.S. military convoys began moving out of the Qasrak base in Hasakah province on Feb. 23, 2026, witnesses and international wire photographers reported, with dozens of trucks, some carrying armoured vehicles and MRAPs, seen heading toward the Al-Walid crossing into Iraqi Kurdistan. Reuters and AFP teams captured footage and photographs of the convoys on a highway outside Qamishli and on the road linking Qasrak to the Iraqi border, and QNA reported that military vehicles departed toward the Al-Walid crossing.

The withdrawal, described by multiple outlets as the first phase of a wider drawdown, stripped Qasrak of its role as one of the largest U.S. coalition hubs in northeastern Syria. Qasrak has controlled access to an international highway that links eastern and western Syria and served as a main base for U.S. forces and their Kurdish allies in the fight against Islamic State, Reuters reported. AFP said its team saw prefabricated structures, heavy machinery and trucks loaded with armoured vehicles moving from the base.

Al Jazeera cited local sources saying the convoys included "sensitive high-tech tools that may take weeks to transport into Iraq." Visuals published by Reuters showed an armoured U.S. vehicle with a U.S. flag moving toward the Iraqi Kurdistan region, and AFP photographers described MRAP armoured fighting vehicles in the convoy.

The move follows recent U.S. withdrawals from other sites, including al-Shaddadi and Al-Tanf, and comes amid a shifting security landscape in northeastern Syria. AFP reported that fighters from the U.S.-trained, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces had ceded territory to Damascus and agreed to integrate into state structures, while Reuters framed the pullback as part of a broader departure as the U.S.-allied government in Damascus consolidates control.

Estimates of how quickly the drawdown will proceed vary. A Syrian military official briefed on U.S. plans told Reuters the pullout was expected to take about a month. Newarab, cited by AFP, quoted a Syrian government official as saying, "Within a month, they will have withdrawn from Syria and there will no longer be any military presence in the bases." A diplomat quoted by Newarab and AFP suggested the withdrawal could be completed within 20 days. Al Jazeera noted U.S. troop levels in Syria have fallen in recent months, reporting a decline from 1,500 personnel in July to about 900 currently; Reuters and AFP cited estimates of roughly 1,000 U.S. troops remaining in the country.

Even if Qasrak is vacated, the U.S.-led coalition is reported to retain at least one Syrian base near the Iraqi border. Reuters and AFP said the Rmelan base, also known as Kharab al-Jir, appears to remain under coalition control.

Requests for official comment met with silence. Reuters noted that "the U.S. military's Central Command (Centcom) did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment" and that "Neither the Syrian defence ministry nor the SDF responded to requests for comment." It remained unclear whether the withdrawal from Qasrak is temporary or permanent.

The movement marks a visible shift in the U.S. military footprint in northeastern Syria and raises immediate questions about the disposition of equipment and the security of supply routes that Qasrak once controlled. Journalists and diplomats say confirmation from U.S. and local authorities will be needed to establish final timelines, the exact inventory moved and the strategic intent behind the phase of departures observed on Feb. 23.