U.S. Military Withdrawing From Largest Base in Northeastern Syria
The Syrian military and security sources stated that U.S. forces began withdrawing from their largest base in Qasrak; the base was the main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State (Reuters)
While U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment, it confirmed earlier this month that U.S. troops had withdrawn from different base in southeastern Syria (CENTCOM)
Self-Proclaimed Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Two Attacks
The self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian army personnel in eastern and northern Syria; this came as the group announced it had entered a “new phase” in operations (Reuters)
Militant Attack Kills One Security Officer
The self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibility for an attack that killed one security officer and injured another in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province (Reuters)
United States to Withdraw All Forces
American officials stated that the United States is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from Syria; the removal will be “conditions-based” and will occur over the next two months (WSJ)
Australians Released From Roj Camp Returned
Thirty-four Australians released from Roj camp were later returned due to “technical problems” between families and the Damascus government (Reuters)
This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the Australian government will provide “absolutely no support” towards repatriation efforts (AP)
Syrian Army Takes Control of Shaddadi Base
The Syrian Army announced that it had taken control of the Shaddadi base in northwestern Syria in coordination with the United States (Reuters)
U.S. Conducts Strikes on ISIS Targets
The United States Central Command announced that it conducted ten airstrikes against at least thirty self-proclaimed Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage targets between February 3 and February 12 (Reuters)
U.S. Military Completes Prison Transfers
The United States Central Command announced that U.S. forces successfully completed their mission of transferring self-proclaimed Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq; the transfers included moving over 5,700 self-proclaimed IS militants (Reuters).
Saudi Arabian and U.S. Firms to Partner on Energy Project
Three U.S.-based and two Saudi-based firms are to form a consortium for an energy production and oil and gas exploration project in northeast Syria; the move reflects Damascus’s need for energy investments after fourteen years of war (Reuters)
Saudi Investments in Syria
A new Saudi fund will invest around $2 billion to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Saudi Arabia’s investment minister Khalid al-Falih said (Reuters)
The Saudi Telecom Company also said it will invest $800 million in a telecommunications infrastructure project in the country (Communications Today)
These and other new investments represent a “qualitative leap” in their bilateral relations, Al-Falih said, following more than $6 billion in Saudi investment pledges in Syria last year (NYT)
Syrian Government Blocks Al-Qaeda Affiliated Book
The Syrian government blocked a book containing multiple audio addresses by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq before his death in 2006, from being displayed at a book fair in Damascus; officials stated the book would dampen relation-building efforts between Baghdad and Damascus (Reuters)
Syrian Government Security Forces Enter Qamishli
Syrian security forces continued deployments to Kurdish-led regions and entered Qamishli to engage in talks with senior Kurdish officials (Reuters)
Syrian State Forces Enter Al-Hasakah
Syrian government forces entered Al-Hasakah as part of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces that plans to merge Kurdish-led regions with Damascus (Reuters)
Syria to Close Al-Hol and Roj Camps
Syria announced plans to close Al-Hol and Roj displacement camps that held civilians and foreigners linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (Reuters)
Syrian Government and Kurds Agree on Integration Deal
The Syrian government and Kurdish forces agreed to a ceasefire that outlines a phased plan to absorb Kurdish fighters into state institutions, garnering praise from the United States; the deal follows recent advances by Damascus this month, which pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces back into a reduced northeastern enclave (Reuters)
Putin Hosts Al-Sharaa
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss Moscow’s future military presence in Syria (Reuters)
Syria Seeks U.S.-Backed Talks With SDF as Tensions Persist
The Syrian government said it plans to hold a new round of U.S-backed talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to define how the group will merge into the central state following a January 18 integration deal (Reuters)
In Qamishli, Kurdish residents have organized nighttime volunteer patrols as government forces press closer, underscoring fears despite a ceasefire and continued negotiations (Reuters)
Russia Begins Withdrawing From Qamishli Airport
Russian forces have begun evacuating equipment and personnel from bases around Qamishli airport in northeast Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces territory shrinks (AP)
Russian troops started a gradual withdrawal last week, transferring forces and heavy equipment from the airport to the Hmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Syrian sources said (Reuters)
Damascus Extends Truce With SDF
Syria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces extended a truce that was set to expire on Saturday, both parties said; the Syrian defense ministry said the extension will last fifteen days and facilitate a U.S. operation to transfer prisoners linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq (AP)
UN Role in Syria
The United Nations is assuming responsibility for large refugee and detention camps in northeast Syria that were previously guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a senior UN official said; the SDF retreated from the area this week amid an armed offensive by Syria’s government, which aims to integrate SDF forces into its own (Reuters)
Detainee Transfer From Syria
The U.S. military began transferring detainees linked to the self-declared Islamic State from Syria to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said in a statement; the announcement said 150 detainees had already been transported to Iraqi-controlled facilities, with up to 7,000 in total eligible for transfers (CENTCOM)
The move comes after dozens of detainees escaped from a Syrian prison in recent days during clashes between government forces and Kurdish rebels (WaPo)
ISIS Detainees Escape Prison
Syria’s interior ministry said today that around 120 detainees had escaped and at least 81 had been recaptured, while a Kurdish website reported that roughly 1,500 had escaped; each side blamed the other for the incident (Al Jazeera)
The renewed clashes are testing a freshly-minted truce between Syria’s military and Kurdish forces; they had announced a truce and plans to merge on Sunday, following a Syrian military offensive against the Kurdish group (NYT)
The Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer (Reuters)
The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept the integration deal in a social media post; he wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State (X)
U.S. Carries Out Large Scale Strikes Against ISIS
U.S. Central Command said they were part of continued retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. and Syrian forces last month (CENTCOM)
Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the U.S. and Jordanian militaries have worked with the new Syrian government to target the remnants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (NYT)
Clashes in Aleppo
Syria’s military declared a ceasefire today in three neighborhoods of Aleppo, after fighting with Kurdish forces displaced an estimated 140,000 people in recent days, per Syrian authorities (Reuters)
The clashes broke out despite efforts over the past year to integrate the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces into the country’s military (CFR)
The Trump administration is “working extensively” to extend the truce, its special envoy for Syria wrote on social media (X)
Israel-Syria Security Channel
The two countries agreed to establish an intelligence sharing and military de-escalation channel during U.S.-mediated talks in Paris (State Department)
Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria since the arrival of the current Ahmed al-Sharaa government, citing security concerns, even as Washington has urged the countries to reconcile (NYT)