Al Tabqah Airbase

Military Capture. The airbase was overrun and captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) during the Syrian Civil War. After a prolonged and bloody siege, it became the last government stronghold to fall in the Raqqa province. The capture was a significant strategic victory for ISIS, solidifying their control over the entire province and providing them with captured military hardware.

The site is an active and strategic military base. In March 2017, the airbase was captured from ISIS by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with direct support from the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), which included a surprise helicopter assault. Since its recapture, the base has been repaired and is now used as a key forward operating base, logistics hub, and command center for the US-led coalition and the SDF. It plays a crucial role in supporting counter-terrorism operations in the region and is not accessible for any civilian activities.

Prior to its capture in 2014, Al Tabqah Airbase (official ICAO: OSTQ) was a major, strategically vital facility for the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF). It housed several aviation squadrons, including those operating MiG-21 fighter jets and possibly Aero L-39 Albatros light attack/trainer aircraft. During the early years of the Syrian Civil War, the base served as a primary hub for the Syrian government to launch airstrikes, transport supplies, and conduct military operations against opposition forces throughout northern and eastern Syria. Its fall was a major blow to the Syrian government's operational capabilities in the region.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Al Tabqah Airbase for civilian traffic. Its future is entirely contingent on the long-term political and military resolution of the Syrian conflict. Given its current strategic importance as a military installation for international and local forces in a volatile region, its function is expected to remain exclusively military for the foreseeable future. Any change in status would require a fundamental shift in the geopolitical landscape of Syria.