Illustrative image. (Credit: U.S. Army)
The United States-led coalition is preparing to open a base in Raqqa three years after it withdrew from the northern Syrian governorate, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on December 16.
The London-based monitoring group revealed that the coalition completed in November the construction of a helicopter landing pad and barracks within the 17th Division base, which is located in the northern outskirts of Raqqa city.
In October of 2019, the U.S.-led coalition abandoned all of its bases and positions in Raqqa and neighboring Aleppo without a notice to facilitate a Turkish ground operation that targeted its own proxy, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The SOHR said that the coalition is currently working to establish more bases in Raqqa, including one within the city center.
“The U.S. is in the process of preparing a new military base in the center of Raqqa, specifically near the new Rashid Bridge at the city’s southern entrance,” the group said.
In a sign of its redeployment in Raqqa, U.S.-led coalition forces conducted on December 13 a patrol on Tell Abyad road, some 25 kilometers to the east of Raqqa city.
The U.S. withdrawal from Raqqa three years ago didn’t only enable the Turkish military and its proxies to occupy vast parts of the governorate’s northern countryside, but also allowed the Russian military and Syrian government forces to re-enter the governorate under a deal with the SDF. Today they hold a network of positions in the northern and southern countryside.
By returning to Raqqa, the U.S. is likely trying to deter Turkey, who has been preparing to launch a new ground operation against the SDF, as well as to contain Russia’s growing influence in the governorate. Washington appears to be planning to stay in Syria for the long term, of course under the pretext of fighting ISIS remnants.
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