Two US military bases attacked in eastern Syria: Report

Two US military bases in eastern Syria came under drone attacks reportedly launched by Iran-backed groups.

Lebanon's Iran-aligned Al Mayadeen TV on Thursday reported (Oct 19) a drone attack on the Al-Tanf base near Syria's borders with Iraq and Jordan, and a missile attack on the Conoco base in the countryside of the northern Deir al-Zor region.

The US military is yet to confirm the reports, and the local media did not provide any further information on casualties.

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The Conoco base, which houses a gas field borderingIraq, was struck by three explosive-laden drones, Omar Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist who heads the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet, said.

Iran-backed groups held responsible

Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said that three drones attacked the US base of Tanf in eastern Syria near where the borders of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq meet.

A US military base in the Al-Tanf area of ​​Homs province, Syria, was attacked by a drone by resistance factions.
Attack on the American Al-Tanf base on the Syrian-Iraqi-Jordanian border triangle with 3 drones
Targeting of the American base Konitzo in the northern part of Deir… pic.twitter.com/SGRFFXECSv — Sprinter (@Sprinter99800) October 19, 2023

It said two drones were shot down before reaching their targets while the third hit the base, causing some material damage, reports AP news agency.

The Observatory further claimed that fighters stationed in Iran, in eastern Syria, and western Iraq may have been responsible for the strikes.

US and Russian troops in Syria

The US has around 900 troops stationed in Syria alongside an unknown number of contractors ever since the defeat of the Islamic State group in 2019, reports AP news agency.

The troops, who first arrived in 2015, work alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces, an umbrella group of militias dominated by Kurdish fighters.

Russia also has maintained sizable presence in the volatile region ever since the civil war broke out in 2015, and stands firmly in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Though officially Russia has deployed its troops to fight the ISIS, it has largely helped Assad maintain his rule, which has been repeatedly challenged by Kurdish forces.

(With inputs from agencies)

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