A drone attack targeted the largest US military base in Syria, resulting in the death of at least six allied Kurdish-led fighters. The strike occurred at the commando academy in the al-Omar oil field, situated in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, in the early hours of Monday.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has been instrumental in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) since 2019 with support from a US-led global coalition, confirmed the tragic loss of its “commando fighters” in a statement. They strongly condemned the attack and asserted their “right to respond appropriately to the source.” “Iranian-backed militias used the Syrian regime-controlled areas in Deir al-Zour as a staging ground for the terrorist attack,” it alleged.
An Iran-backed militia umbrella group, known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), has claimed responsibility for the operation. The IRI has a history of launching drone, rocket, and missile attacks targeting US forces in the region, often citing solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
This marked the second incident following the US strikes against Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria over the weekend, retaliating to a fatal drone attack on a base in Jordan. The Pentagon confirmed to the BBC that a rocket attack occurred at its Mission Support Site Euphrates in Syria on Saturday, with no casualties or damages reported in the incident. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, seven SDF commandos lost their lives and 18 were injured in what it described as the 108th militia attack on US bases in the country since mid-October.
The United States has about 800 troops stationed in Syria, tasked primarily with combating the Islamic State (IS) group.
As tensions in the region surge, particularly in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is undertaking a Middle East tour. His agenda includes meetings in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the West Bank, emphasizing diplomatic efforts to negotiate the release of Israeli hostages and to mitigate further escalation of regional conflicts.
Relevant articles:
– A drone attack on the largest US military base in Syria has killed at least six allied Kurdish-led fighters
– At least 6 Kurdish fighters are killed in a drone attack on a Syrian base housing US troops, The Associated Press, Mon, 05 Feb 2024 10:25:00 GMT
– US-backed Kurdish fighters killed in drone strike on US base in Syria, The Guardian, Mon, 05 Feb 2024 13:41:00 GMT
– Six SDF fighters killed in pro-Iran attack on US Syria base, Rudaw Media Network, Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:23:42 GMT