Rebels say US evacuates base in southern Syrian desert

AMMAN – US troops and allied Arab fighters have evacuated a garrison set up in June in the Syrian desert near the border with Iraq and relocated to their main Tanf base, rebel sources said on Tuesday.

They said the move follows a deal between Washington and Moscow to abandon the Zakf site, located around 60-70 km (40-50 miles) northeast of Tanf.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has gained momentum in the six-year civil war but rebel groups still control large, populous areas in both the northwest and southwest of the country as well as other pockets elsewhere.

Zakf was established to stop the Syrian army and allied Iranian-backed militias advancing from territory north of Tanf towards the Iraqi border after they managed to cut off and encircle rebels backed by Washington.