New Delhi, Feb. 14 -- Syrian government forces have taken control of a base in the east of the country that was run for years by U.S. troops as part of the war against the Islamic State group, the Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

The al-Tanf base sits on a strategic location close to the borders with Jordan and Iraq. In a terse statement, the Syrian Defense Ministry said the handover of the base took place in coordination with the U.S. military and Syrian forces are now "securing the base and its perimeters."

The U.S. Central Command said in a statement that troops have completed "the orderly departure" from al-Tanf base on Wednesday.

It said that the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, established by ...