U.S. installs new military base near Iraqi-Syrian borders: Official
The U.S. troops in Zakaf base.
In remarks to the Russian Sputnik agency, Khalil Serfan, from SDF, said “a new U.S. base is being built near Qaim town on the borders between Iraq and Syria.”
The U.S., according to Serfan, “established the base in such strategically-important region on the borders as it’s trying to establish its military presence there, this the Iraqi troops dispatched more forces to enhance the protection at the borders.”
The base, according to Serfan, was used by the U.S.-backed SDF in operations that were carried out last month in east of Syria.
In August, the U.S.-led coalition said U.S. forces will remain in Iraq, so long as there is a need for that, which is contrary to the U.S. promises to withdraw from Iraq after Islamic State was defeated.
Security expert Safaa al-Aasam had been quoted saying that Washington is working on increasing the total number of U.S. bases in Iraq reaching up to 12 bases over the coming period of time.
An official security source qas quoted by BasNews website in July as saying that U.S. is planning to inaugurate its third base in western Anbar, near the borders with Syria, to join its already operating bases, Ain al-Assad and Habbaniya.