Washington and Damascus are in discussions over the use of an airbase by American troops

The US is seeking to establish a military presence in the Syrian capital Damascus by the end of the year, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The US has maintained a foothold in Syria through a controversial base in the southeast; it is surrounded by an exclusion zone which Moscow has claimed has become a safe space for terrorists. Neither former Syrian President Bashar Assad, toppled late last year, nor the new government led by ex-jihadist leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has authorized an American presence in the country.

The looming agreement is linked to a non-aggression pact between Syria's new authorities and Israel, according to the report. The agreement, mediated by the US administration, is expected to establish a demilitarized zone in the south of the country.

The airbase is expected to be used for "logistics, surveillance, refueling, and humanitarian operations," while Syria will retain "full sovereignty" over the facility, Reuters noted, citing two Syrian military sources. Washington has reportedly been putting pressure on Damascus to push through the deal before the end of the year and al-Sharaa's potential visit to the US.

The deal was reportedly discussed by US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper during his trip to Damascus in September. Both sides at the time provided vague statements on the nature of the talks, with neither mentioning Israel.

"The meeting addressed prospects for cooperation in the political and military fields in the service of shared interests and consolidating the foundations of security and stability in Syria and the region," Al-Sharaa's office said after Cooper's trip.

Al-Sharaa, who previously led the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, rose to power after the fall of Assad's government late last year. The defeat of Syria's president plunged the country into a new period of instability, marked by months of clashes between the new government's forces and minority groups.

Islamist factions have repeatedly targeted minority communities, including Alawites, Christians, Kurds, and Druze. The attacks on the latter minority prompted Israel to invade the buffer zone near the occupied Golan Heights. West Jerusalem has claimed the move was necessary to block hostile actions along the frontier and protect the Druze community.

(RT.com)