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The US has officially completed the handover of all its military bases in Syria, ending a decade-long presence in the country.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, American troops first showed up in Syria in 2015 to take on ISIS, teaming up with Kurdish-led fighters who later became the Syrian Democratic Forces and setting up shop across the northeast. At its peak, roughly 2,000 US personnel were spread across sites in Syria. The US relationship with the SDF had strained ties with Turkey, which viewed the group as an extension of the PKK (a Kurdish militant organization designated as a terrorist group by the US, EU, and Turkey). After the fall of Bashar al-Assad in 2024, the US quickly reestablished diplomatic ties with Syria under its new leader, President Ahmed al-Sharaa (who previously had a bounty on him for his ties to a terrorist organization).

What’s going on now: The US officially pulled out of its last base (Qasrak air base in northeastern Hasakah) on Thursday, with Syrian forces moving in immediately after. US Central Command confirmed it had “completed turning over all of our major bases in Syria,” saying US forces will continue supporting partner-led counterterrorism efforts without permanent outposts. The final convoy was moved out through Jordan, a deliberate workaround to steer clear of Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq. Syria’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the handover, saying the country is now “fully capable of leading counterterrorism efforts from within.”

The withdrawal follows a deal struck earlier this year between Damascus and the SDF, under which Kurdish fighters are being absorbed into the Syrian national army and control of border crossings and civilian institutions has transferred to Damascus. Syrian President al-Sharaa met Thursday with SDF military commander Mazloum Abdi and the head of its political wing to mark the completion of the transition.

This all comes as ISIS still poses a danger in eastern Syria and the desert interior, with sleeper cells thought to be active in those areas.