Syria takes over northeast base after anti-ISIL coalition pullout

DAMASCUS

Syria said Saturday that its army had taken control of a military base in the country's northeast after forces from a U.S.-led international coalition against the ISIL terror group withdrew.

In recent months, Syria's new government has expanded its control to parts of the country's northeast previously controlled by U.S.-allied SDF forces.

It has also formally joined the anti-ISIL coalition, while American forces have pulled out of several bases in the country.

The Syrian army has "taken over the Rmeilan base in Hasakeh province after the withdrawal of forces from the international coalition", state television quoted a Syrian defense ministry official as saying.

In recent months, American forces have withdrawn from the Al-Tanf base in the southeast and Shadadi in the northeast, and had begun withdrawing from the Qasrak base, also in Hasakeh province.

SDF lost swathes of territory to government forces earlier this year following clashes between the sides who then agreed a deal on gradually integrating Kurdish military and civilian institutions into the state.

This week, Syria appointed senior Kurdish military official Sipan Hamo as regional assistant defense minister under the integration deal.