US Begins Withdrawal from Largest Syria Base

United States forces began withdrawing from their largest base in northeastern Syria on Monday, marking the start of a broader drawdown from the country where they have maintained a presence for over a decade to combat the Islamic State group. The pullout from the Qasrak base in Hasakah province, near the city of Qamishli, involves relocating troops and equipment to Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region, according to Iraqi and Syrian security officials.

Witnesses and journalists in Qamishli observed a convoy of dozens of trucks carrying armored vehicles, heavy machinery and prefabricated structures departing the base early Monday. Military helicopters circled overhead as the convoy moved along a highway toward the Iraqi border. A senior Iraqi security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the evacuation started Sunday and continued with forces crossing into northern Iraq on Monday. A Syrian security official added that about 200 U.S. soldiers remained at the site, overseeing the dismantling of jamming systems, air defense equipment and engineering facilities.

The withdrawal from Qasrak follows recent...