Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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US Forces Reportedly Building New Base in Northeast Syria

Sirwan Kajjo

   WASHINGTON - The United States military has begun building a new base
   in northeast Syria, according to local reports.

   The new U.S. military base reportedly is located in the city of
   Hasakah, one of the largest cities in Syria's northeast.

   A local reporter told VOA that the U.S. maintains another base outside
   the city, "but this is the first time that U.S. forces have begun
   building a base in the city center."

   "The U.S. flag is now raised over a building," said journalist Jindar
   Berekat, who lives in Hasakah, adding that "it is not clear how many
   American soldiers will be stationed at this location, but their armored
   military vehicles are here and it looks like they are still
   constructing parts of it."

   The base was previously occupied by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic
   Forces (SDF), a local military alliance that has been a major U.S.
   partner in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) terror group.

   It is located near a major prison that holds hundreds of IS fighters.
   The SDF says it currently holds about 2,000 IS foreign fighters and
   12,000 IS-affiliated women and children.

   'Redeployment strategy'

   Hasakah is largely controlled by Syrian Kurdish fighters, but Syrian
   government and Russian forces have a significant military presence in
   the city as well.

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