In the heart of Syria’s shifting political and military landscape, the Al-Seen Military Airbase is re-emerging as a focal point of regional strategy and security. Once a dormant Cold War-era facility, the base situated roughly 72 kilometers northeast of Damascus is now being secured and revitalized by the US backed Syrian Free Army (SFA), signaling a new phase in post-Assad Syria.
The SFA, a long-time partner of the United States in the fight against ISIS, announced on May 17 that its units were actively working to safeguard the base, also known as Sayqal Airfield. “Our teams continue to work at Al-Seen Airport to secure it and protect it from sabotage,” read a statement from the group. The force emphasized its commitment to ensuring that the site does not fall into the hands of ISIS, vowing round the clock operations to protect civilians and weapons caches.
This development has not gone unnoticed in Damascus. In a rare public signal of coordination, Syria’s new transitional government dispatched senior officials from the Syrian Air Force to inspect the facility. According to a May 20 post from the Syrian Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Asim Hawari, commander of the Air Force, and Brigadier General Mustafa Bakour, the Air Force’s chief of staff, conducted a field visit to review the base’s operational readiness. The ministry confirmed that preparations are underway to restore the base’s functionality and reintegrate it into Syria’s air defense infrastructure.
The renewed interest in Al-Seen comes at a time of broader geopolitical engagement. Syria’s interim leadership, formed after the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, has ramped up diplomatic outreach to global stakeholders, including the United States and Turkey. During a recent statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the risks of instability if international powers do not actively engage with Syria’s transitional authorities.
For the SFA, the fall of Assad marked a turning point. Having operated primarily out of the US led coalition’s Tanf Garrison in southern Syria, the group expanded its operations beyond the 55-kilometer exclusion zone once enforced around the garrison. In the months since December, SFA fighters have extended their reach deep into the Syrian desert, including operations as far as Palmyra.
Despite initial uncertainty about its future role, the SFA has continued to receive training and support from US military personnel. Its ongoing presence and activity at Al-Seen highlight the group’s transformation from a narrowly focused militia into a regional stabilization force.
Historically, the Al-Seen Airbase has been a cornerstone of Syrian military aviation since the 1960s. The installation, featuring dual runways and reinforced aircraft shelters, was once central to the Ba’athist regime’s air operations. In 2018, Israel identified the site as one of five key airfields used by Iran for logistical support to its proxies in Syria a claim that raised alarm among Western and regional analysts.
Recent satellite imagery and photos published by the SFA reveal a systematic effort to rehabilitate the airbase’s infrastructure. Analysts such as Navaar Saban of the Harmoon Center suggest that these operations are part of a wider push to contain ISIS resurgence in the central Syrian desert, known as the Badia. “The current operations at Al-Seen are part of broader efforts to stabilize the region, protect civilians, and prevent the resurgence of ISIS,” Saban noted.
The strategic significance of Al-Seen is further underscored by its proximity to key transportation corridors. Just 14 kilometers south of Route 2 the main highway connecting Damascus with the Tanf region — and within striking distance of the M5 international highway, the base offers a logistical and tactical edge to whichever force holds it.
Kurdish media outlet Hawarn News recently described the reactivation of Al-Seen as a “strategic maneuver,” citing concerns over the proliferation of ISIS sleeper cells across the Badia and rising attacks against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern and eastern provinces.
As Syria navigates a fragile transition away from decades of authoritarian rule, the fate of Al-Seen Military Airbase may prove emblematic of broader shifts both in the battlefield dynamics and in the alliances shaping the country’s future. For now, the SFA’s presence and the Syrian Air Force’s interest in the base suggest an emerging, if uneasy, convergence of old and new forces vying to secure Syria’s volatile heartland.
