Pentagon vehemently denies reports of new US base in Syria’s Kobani

The Pentagon vehemently denied reports that it was setting up a new base in northeast Syria on Monday after videos emerged showing concrete barriers being transferred on a trailer with a US flag.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said there were no plans or intent to build a US base in Syria’s Kobani.

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A US defense official doubled down on the Pentagon’s stance. “We are currently not tracking or aware of any activities IVO Kobani,” the official told Al Arabiya English.

Washington has been backing and training Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), sparking public diatribes from Turkey over their opposition to such support. The SDF and Turkey have been engaged in heightened clashes since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.

US officials hope the SDF will fall under the umbrella of the new Syrian government. The Biden administration had even floated sanctions waivers if the Kurds normalized with the Assad regime prior to its fall out of fear that Iran could step in to provide support to the Kurdish fighters in the face of Turkey.

Read more: US patience with Turkey tested again over Syria, attacks on Kurdish partners