US military begins withdrawing from main base in northeast Syria, Syrian sources say

By Feras Dalatey and Orhan Qereman

DAMASCUS, Feb 23 (Reuters) - U.S. forces began pulling out of their largest base in northeastern Syria on Monday, two Syrian military and security sources said, part of a wider departure as the U.S.-allied government in Damascus consolidates control.

Dozens of trucks, some carrying armoured vehicles, departed the base at Qasrak in Hasakah province on Monday morning, witnesses said. Reuters footage later showed the trucks moving along a highway on the outskirts of the city of Qamishli.

The U.S. military's Central Command (Centcom) did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

A full withdrawal from Qasrak would still leave the U.S.-led coalition with a base in Rmelan, also known as Kharab al-Jir, near the Iraqi border.

Qasrak has been a main hub for the U.S.-led global coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria, where U.S. troops deployed over a decade ago, partnering with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the jihadist group.

Neither the Syrian defence ministry nor the SDF responded to requests for comment.

(Additional reporting by Khalil Ashawi in Damascus; Editing by Tom Perry, Aidan Lewis)