Major U.S. Drawdown Reported in Deir ez-Zor
SOHR reports that the U.S. forces have withdrawn from two major bases in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, including al-Omar oil field and Conoco gas plant, amid rising militia attacks. The SDF has taken control, but concerns grow over security gaps and ISIS resurgence in the volatile region.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Monday that the U.S. forces have executed a sudden and significant withdrawal from two major military bases in Syria's eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside, marking one of the largest American drawdowns in the region in recent years.
According to the UK-based Observatory, the withdrawal began incrementally on May 18 before accelerating sharply in recent days. U.S. military convoys—comprised of armored vehicles and logistical equipment—were observed exiting their positions at the al-Omar oil field and the Conoco gas plant.
The withdrawal coincided with intensified aerial activity by the U.S.-led International Coalition.
The base at al-Omar oil field, widely recognized as the largest American military installation in Syria, and the Conoco gas plant have both come under repeated attack by Iranian-backed militias over the past two years, SOHR indicated in its report.
The U.S. forces' abrupt withdrawal has sparked speculation about potential repercussions for the already fragile security landscape in northeastern Syria, as detailed by SOHR.
Following the U.S. exit, elite commando units from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) swiftly took control of the vacated bases. Sources from the Syrian Observatory noted that joint military operations between the SDF and the U.S.-led Coalition are expected to continue in the context of anti-ISIS security campaigns. Support for these missions will now be coordinated from the Coalition’s base in al-Shaddadi, south of Hasakah, which remains operational.
The Observatory highlighted the concerns about a looming security vacuum at a time when the region faces ongoing instability, economic hardship, and the persistent threat of ISIS resurgence.
