A coordinated attack on a military outpost in southern Syria occurred on Wednesday, but no American troops stationed there were injured or killed, according to US officials.
Unidentified drone strikes an area near the U.S. Garrison.
Drone Attack in Area Near US Garrison in Syria
In a recently published article in Newsweek, the assault was initially reported by local sources linked to the Syrian opposition. A US official subsequently verified it to a news outlet. The assaults used an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and "indirect fire," according to the source, with "no injuries" recorded.
According to initial accounts, the assault included two drone attacks and a limited quantity of missiles. One official said that one of the drone attacks targeted the US side of the al-Tanf garrison, while another may have targeted Syrian opposition troops.
Meanwhile, At al-Tanf, US and coalition soldiers train Syrian forces on patrols to combat Islamic State terrorists. The facility is also on a route that runs from Tehran to southern Lebanon and Israel, providing a crucial connection for Iranian-backed troops, according to a published report in ABC News.
Group Behind the Attack is Not Yet Known
According to the local news outlet, it is unclear if the assault was carried out by 'the Islamic State or the ISIS-K group, either the Iranian forces. The local news organization also said that it had no information on human life lost, and initial reports also noted that there were no American casualties.
Furthermore, according to the observatory's sources, the mobilization of the US-led coalition and allied rebels of the Maghawir al-Thawra group around the time of the assault was the first of its type for the military facility and adding that this targeting is the first of its kind for the military base, per News10 reports.
Other unidentified bombings throughout Syria, mainly attributed to Israel by local troops, have targeted Iran-linked targets, including one that struck the country's heartland, Palmyra. The Syrian Arab News Agency and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights both reported the death of a Syrian soldier, with the latter adding that three Iranian-backed militias were also killed.
Operations Room of the Allies of Syria Released a Statement
In a published article in Stars and Stripes, "A decision has been taken to respond to this attack in retaliation for the souls of the martyrs and the blood of the wounded," according to a statement later released by the "Operations Room of the Allies of Syria" and aired by several outlets, including the Al Manar outlet affiliated with the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah movement, adding that the response will be harsh.
According to reports, the assault was launched from the Al-Tanf garrison and the Jordanian border. Sabreen News, a source sympathetic to Iran's "Axis of Resistance," which includes paramilitary groups trying to remove US troops from the area, also confirmed Wednesday's attacks. Still, the report provided no credit for the operation.
Meanwhile, so far, the Biden administration has rejected any intentions to leave Syria or to ease sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom the US and a number of allies accuse of war crimes.
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