Joint SDF-US drills held at al-Shaddadi base in al-Hasakah
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The Syrian Democratic Forces and US-led coalition conducted joint drills at al-Shaddadi base in al-Hasakah, focusing on combat readiness and operational coordination.
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US occupation soldiers patrol on the M4 highway in the town of Tal Tamr in the northeastern Syrian Hasakeh province on the border with Turkey on January 24, 2020. (AFP)
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in coordination with the US-led International Coalition, carried out extensive military training exercises at the al-Shaddadi base in the southern countryside of al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria.
The drills were part of ongoing efforts to boost combat readiness and improve field coordination between the two forces.
The joint maneuvers included participation from ground forces, helicopters, and US occupation Air Force units operating in the region. Simulated combat operations were conducted with the use of live ammunition and mock targets, accompanied by multiple explosions heard throughout the area.
The exercises focused on strengthening operational capabilities and preparing for various potential military scenarios.
According to local sources, the training emphasized close coordination in joint combat situations, aiming to enhance the ability of both the SDF and coalition forces to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging threats in northeastern Syria.
US reinforces Syria bases
Earlier last week, US forces had a recent surge of logistical and weapons deliveries to their bases in northeastern Syria as Damascus pursued a complex web of diplomatic and security arrangements with regional powers and local groups, the objectives of which remain unclear.
Airborne deliveries to Kharab al-Jir and an earlier ground convoy to Qasrak come against the backdrop of President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s outreach to Moscow, steps to incorporate the Syrian Democratic Forces into national structures, and reports that Ankara is preparing arms transfers tied to wider deals.
Additionally, earlier, the US-aligned SDF and Damascus began implementing a previously agreed framework to integrate SDF units into Damascus-led forces under the command of a unified national army.
Observers say full implementation will be politically sensitive and operationally complex, not least because of Ankara’s long-standing designation of the SDF as linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it says is a terror organization.
