In a report published by Reuters, the US-backed force in Syria, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, has stated that additional air defenses are needed in Northeastern Syria following drone strikes that it has blamed on Pro-Iran military groups.
TOPSHOT - Huthi fighters brandish their weapons during a protest following US and British forces strikes, in the Huthi-controlled capital Sanaa on January 12, 2024 amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the militant Hamas group in Gaza. US and British forces struck rebel-held Yemen early on January 12, after weeks of disruptive attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed Huthis who say they act in solidarity with Gaza. The pre-dawn air strikes add to escalating fears of wider conflict in the region, where violence involving Tehran-aligned groups in Yemen as well as Lebanon, Iraq and Syria has surged since the Israel-Hamas was began in early October.
Commander of the SDF, Mazloum Adi stated that he thinks it's "a dangerous development when our camps are targeted in drone attacks by factions backed by Iran."
Adi has stated to reporters that the fighters as well as United States troops who fight alongside SDF forces are becoming more vulnerable due to wider instability increasing in the Middle Eastern region as a result of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Bases located within both the Eastern and Northeastern regions of Syria have been on the receiving end of drone and rocket attacks as pro-Iran military groups continue to show their support for Palestinians. For example, there was a drone strike conducted in late January on a United States military facility that killed three United States troops.
It was reported yesterday that the United States has carried out a counterstrike. The SDF has also reported drone attacks from hostile groups in Eastern Syria killed six of its fighters.
The United States's Commitment To The SDF
Adi has also stated that "From their (the U.S.) side, they confirmed they would try and expend efforts to prevent these attacks." The Pentagon has yet to confirm this statement at the time of writing. The United States and SDF have been working with one another for quite some time at this point. According to the report the SDF holds a quarter of Syria which includes oil fields and areas where an estimated 900 United States troops are stationed.
There have been rumors circulating that the United States might pull out of the region soon but, those rumors were shut down following a statement from Adi that he received a statement from the State Department, White House and, the Pentagon that their mission would continue. That being said, Adi has also acknowledged that a withdrawal is bound to happen stating that it "is possible in the future... Truthfully, we don't ask for American troops to stay here forever. That's not possible." In addition, Adi stated, "If American forces do withdraw, depending on the circumstances, naturally we will go towards the plans that suit the interests of our people and the make-up of the region."
