US says no plans for army base in Ayn al Arab as Syria FM tours region

The US military has denied reports that it was establishing a new army base in northeastern Syria's Ayn al Arab town, following videos on social media that showed long line of trucks carrying construction materials including concrete barriers.

US officials on Friday denied reports that Washington intends to build a military base in the town of a city currently occupied by PKK/YPG terror group, near the border with Türkiye.

"There are no plans to build a US base in Kobani [Ayn al Arab]," said the Department of Defense Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh.

Türkiye has consistently criticised the US for working with the YPG terror outfit, which is an extension of the PKK, a group recognised as a terrorist organisation by both Ankara and Washington.

Meanwhile, the top diplomat in Syria's new leadership said he will make official visits to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan this week, having just been to Saudi Arabia on his first trip in office.

The new government is eager for investment from wealthy Gulf states to help rebuild the country's infrastructure and boost the economy, shattered by more than a decade of war.

Syria's civil war — which started in 2011, sparked by the Assad regime's brutal repression of pro-democracy protests — killed more than 500,000 people, displaced millions and left Syria fragmented, its people impoverished and infrastructure ravaged.

Discussion's on Syria's future

"This week, I will represent my country, Syria, on an official visit to our brothers in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan," its Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani said in a statement on X.

"We look forward to these visits contributing to support stability, security, economic recovery, and building distinguished partnerships," he added.

Earlier this week, Shaibani headed a high-ranking delegation to Riyadh that included the new government's defence minister and intelligence chief.

It was the first foreign visit by Syria's new government since they ousted regime leader Bashar al Assad last month.

Last month, a Saudi delegation met Syria's new leader Ahmed al Sharaa in Damascus, a source close to the Saudi government told the AFP news agency at the time.

Last week, in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, Sharaa said Saudi Arabia "will certainly have a large role in Syria's future", pointing to "a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries".