According to Enab Baladi, an official source at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Thursday, November 6, that there is "no truth" to reports published by Reuters regarding U.S. bases in Syria. The denial comes as Damascus prepares for a historic presidential visit to Washington next week.
The Syrian source characterized the current phase as witnessing a fundamental shift in U.S.-Syrian relations, with Washington now engaging directly with the central government in Damascus, supporting efforts to unify the country, and rejecting calls for partition. The official stated that work is underway to transfer partnerships previously concluded with "temporary entities" back to Damascus within a framework of joint political, military, and economic coordination.
However, Reuters had reported earlier the same day, citing six unnamed Syrian and Western sources, that the United States was accelerating plans to use a base at the entrance to southern Syria as part of a demilitarized zone under a potential non-aggression agreement between Israel and Syria. Sources familiar with preparations allegedly told Reuters that the Pentagon had conducted several reconnaissance missions to the facility over the past two months, determining that its long runway was ready for immediate use.
According to the Reuters report, two Syrian military sources indicated that technical discussions focused on using the base for logistical, reconnaissance, refueling, and humanitarian purposes, with Syria maintaining full sovereignty. A Syrian Defense Ministry official reportedly confirmed that U.S. C-130 military transport aircraft had landed at the base to verify runway suitability.
The alleged base discussions reportedly took place during U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper's visit to Damascus on September 12, when he met with Syria's transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa. According to official statements, the meeting addressed prospects for political and military cooperation serving shared interests and reinforcing regional security and stability.
CENTCOM said Cooper and U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack thanked al-Sharaa for his support in confronting ISIS in Syria, emphasizing that eliminating the group's threat would reduce risks to U.S. homeland security. A U.S. administration official told Reuters that Washington continually assesses its military posture in Syria to ensure effective counter-ISIS operations, though declined to comment on specific locations for operational security reasons.
Reuters characterized the plans as similar to other recent American military presences in the region used to monitor cease-fire agreements, viewing them as an indicator of Syria's strategic repositioning toward the United States following the fall of the previous regime.
The denial comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment, with President al-Sharaa scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, November 10. This will mark the third meeting between the two leaders, al-Sharaa's second visit to the United States, and the first visit by a Syrian president to Washington. Sources familiar with negotiations told Reuters that Washington is pressing Damascus to reach an agreement with Israel before year's end, possibly before al-Sharaa's Washington visit.