The US military has completely withdrawn from the Tal Baydar military base north of Hasakah province, in addition to dismantling its observation tower at the Jabal Abdul Aziz observatory south of the province, a local correspondent told Zaman al-Wasl on Tuesday.
The correspondent observed the two military sites devoid of any US military presence, a surprising development that coincides with unprecedented internal movements within the ranks of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which have been experiencing organizational and leadership rifts for weeks.
A convoy of US military trucks was seen leaving the two bases in the early hours of the morning, heading towards the al-Walid border crossing with Iraq. No official statement has yet been issued by the international coalition regarding the nature of this withdrawal, or whether it is permanent or tactical.
The withdrawal comes just days after a similar withdrawal from another base near Rmelan, raising questions about a possible change in the deployment of US forces in northeastern Syria, especially in light of the security and political tensions plaguing the region.
In a special report published in early July, Zaman al-Wasl revealed an internal rift within the SDF, amid escalating disputes between Kurdish and Arab leaders within the so-called Deir ez-Zor Military Council, and increasing instances of defection and rebellion among local recruits, particularly in the Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor countrysides.
Informed sources confirmed that the divisions have reached the point of mutual accusations of coordination with external parties, prompting the SDF leadership to make sweeping changes in some leadership positions and launch internal arrest campaigns targeting former members and leaders.
Zaman Al Wasl
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