Right now, there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, working as advisers to the Syrian Defense Forces or providing other support to local militias battling the . ISIS has threatened to attack al-Hol. Iran looks to escalate attacks against U.S. troops in Syria, documents [66][67], On 4 May, as part of increasing tensions and clashes in Idlib and north-western Syria, HTS executed an ex-fighter after accusing him of spying. Why are there still American troops in Syria? by Geoff LaMear "Out with the new, in with the old" appears to be the doctrine for U.S. policy in Syria in 2023. Hundreds of IS suspects have been detained as a result. [23][24] Shortly thereafter, Syrian government forces were reported to continue their advance in a direction the government forces appeared to use advanced Russian-made weapons and were supported by Russian helicopters, according to a report acknowledged on May 26 by the Russian Defence Ministrys media outlet. But they are still in harms way, and its not something Congress has approved. [54], On 1 April, 2 Syrian soldiers, including a lieutenant, were killed after their vehicle drove over a landmine in the desert south of Deir ez-Zor. [1] For years, the U.S. and its coalition allies battled IS in Iraq and Syria, partnering with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. [35], The United States reported a drone attack in the vicinity of the al-Tanf base on the night of 15 August 2022. Contractors often are used to help with maintenance and logistical support. That base was also hit in January, when three suicide drones struck, wounding two Syrian opposition fighters. In a remote part of Syria's northeast, a few kilometers from the oil-rich town of Rumeilan, U.S. soldiers are busy helping local Kurdish forces ensure that militants affiliated with the Islamic. The US troops, as well as a working dog, were wounded during the raid when there was an "explosion," US Central Command said in a statement. [92], Also, in Homs city, an IED exploded targeting Syrian Army brigadier general Jafar Ali al-Akhras, killing him immediately. U.S. officials blame Iran, pointing to remnants of the drone, multiple intelligence threat streams and the fact that the attack was so similar to previous ones by the militants. As long as the U.S.-led global coalition remains committed to its anti-IS effort, American troops say they will continue their mission to bring stability to northeast Syria. On 1 April, 2 Syrian soldiers, including a lieutenant, were killed after their vehicle drove over a landmine in the desert south of Deir ez-Zor. [74] On 23 May, the SOHR reported that Turkish soldiers had begun to abandon their military checkpoints in the Idlib countryside. That tit-for-tat shows that Syria is where all of the USs muddled policies toward the Middle East collide. [49], On 26 March, 4 civilians were killed and others were abducted in an ISIS attack on workers in the Shaer gas field area in the Palmyra desert. [96], On 17 June, ISIS militants assassinated an SDF fighter in the village of al-Shabahat, north of Deir ez-Zor. 3 Syrian soldiers were found killed at the site of the attack including artillery Brigadier General Iyad Murhij. 0:00. A Wagner ex-convict returned home from war. Americans tend to only be reminded of the 900 US troops and hundreds of contractors stationed there when they came under attack, often from militants who have Irans support, or when there is a mishap like this week. Three U.S. service members wounded in Syria rocket attacks [94], Later that day, 4 SDF commanders were killed and another 3 were injured after a Turkish drone targeted their military vehicle on a road Al-Qamishly and Al-Malkiya in Al-Hasakah countryside. Another 5 civilians were also killed in a separate ISIS attack near the town of Baqrus, in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. American troops have been in Syria since 2015, but the latest casualties highlight what has been a consistent, but often quiet, U.S. counterterrorism mission, aimed at countering Iranian-backed militias and preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State group. NCBC Worship Service 06-25-2023 - Facebook American Contractor Killed in Drone Attack on Base in Syria BEIRUT The top U.S. military commander on Saturday visited northeast Syria where American troops and their allies are launching a campaign against the Islamic State group, a U.S.. The latest incident came just a day after a militia drone strike killed a U.S. contractor, injured five American service members and wounded one other contractor in Syria, the Defense Department . We have a defeat ISIS mission," but nevertheless acknowledged that American presence in the area had "an indirect effect on some malign activities that Iran and their various proxies and surrogates would like to pursue down here. Google Pay. Antonio Moore, 22, of Wilmington, N.C., died January 24, 2020, in Syria during a vehicle rollover accident while conducting route clearance operations as part of Operation Inherent Resolve . Israel has also struck Iranian targets in eastern Syria, although it rarely claims responsibility. Tensions boiled over on Friday after Prigozhin said his Wagner mercenaries would lead a "march of justice" against the Russian army. Its a strategy that just makes no sense, says Robert Ford, who served as US ambassador to Syria from 2011 to 2014. Half the world is at risk of dengue. Syria mission worth the risk, top U.S. general says after rare visit First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. Kurilla told Congress that Tehran is building increasingly sophisticated drones, and now has an arsenal that ranges from small, short-range systems to long-range one-way attack platforms.. The real way forward is not leaving 900 troops to play whack-a-mole in eastern Syria., Ford explains that the American mission to secure the outright defeat of ISIS is impossible. [18] In March 2017, the Revolutionary Commando Army (the successor of the New Syrian Army) re-opened the border crossing, resuming cross-border civilian traffic; a group referred to as the Army of Iraqi Tribes was said to control the Iraqi side of the crossing. The Sunday Read: 'The High-Risk Feat of Bringing "American Born Chinese US troops in Syria: How many are stationed there - USA TODAY When we go out on our medical missions, we make sure to provide them with enough information to help their community, as well as us [actually] helping them, said Jordan Sanders, a U.S. Army medic. Merhi, his wife and six children were killed in the airstrike. The Syrian Democratic Forces also maintain several prisons of ISIS fighters and would have a hard time overseeing those detention facilities and camps without US support. The fight continues against Daesh. [55], On 3 April, a senior ISIS militant, by the name of Khalid Aydd Ahmad Al Jabouri, was killed in an American airstrike in the al-Hasakah countryside. The Supreme Court decides not to destroy democracy in the United States. More broadly this spring, US bases have been coming under attack from Iranian-backed groups, with the potential for the US troops there to be drawn into a broader conflict. But the mission is also impossible insofar that new ISIS fighters are still being recruited, and the US military alone simply cannot address whats much more than a military problem. [33], On 27 February, 10 civilians were killed and 12 others were injured by possible remnant ISIS landmines east of Salamiyah. It is located 24 km (15 mi) west of the al-Tanf border crossing in the Syrian Desert. [23], On 23 January, forces of the Syrian Army's 17th Division found the bodies of 9 dead militiamen of the Afghan Liwa Fatemiyoun militia, that fights for the Syrian government, in the desert near Al-Masrab. Soldiers Injured in Syria Were Part of Commando Unit, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/13/us/politics/us-soldiers-injured-syria.html. The strike on Thursday by a small, suicide drone set off a series of retaliatory bombings, and the top U.S. commander for the Middle East, Gen. Erik Kurilla, quickly warned that the U.S. was prepared to launch more attacks if needed. The announcement described it as a "defeat-ISIS exercise". By submitting your email, you agree to our. U.S. officials said that Russia claimed the Maghawir al-Thawra group had carried out a roadside bomb attack on Russian forces, though the United States does not believe this, and instead believes Russia was just looking for a reason to carry out the airstrikes in the location. The US is in Syria to curb the terrorist group Islamic State or ISIS, in a region that is semi-autonomous and run by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish group. At least another 40 people were also reported missing after the attack. In March 2019, the U.S. helped defeat ISs so-called caliphate in eastern Syria. The convoy was reportedly carrying fuel and weapons to militias in Deir el-Zour. Despite major gains against IS, U.S. military officials stationed in Syria say their counterterrorism mission has not changed. In late June, VOA gained rare access to the U.S. military facility guarded by Kurdish fighters affiliated with a local military force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has been a major U.S. partner in the fight against IS, also known as ISIS and Daesh. Those 300 troops have been working with the SDF in fighting ISIS in northern and eastern Syria. As of now, it cannot. "[44], On 23 October 2019, Maghawir al-Thawra reportedly seized $3.5 million worth of illicit drugs from a smuggler within the DCZ. The continuous thunder of Russian guns pounded the American positions in a burned-out natural gas refinery in eastern Syria. US military resumes joint patrols in north Syria (And no matter how our work is funded, we have strict guidelines on editorial independence.) By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. For example, the al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria is located on a vital road that can link Iranian-backed forces from Tehran all the way to southern Lebanon and Israels doorstep. It is reported ISIS insurgents were behind the attack. [62], In 2021 it was reported that, according to "Israeli defense sources", al-Tanf continued to host around 350 military personnel and civilians, "including some British and French forces that were described as 'intelligence experts'". He was later due to visit Deir ez-Zor Governorate, half of which is held by the Kurdish-led Democratic Federation of Northern Syria. The surrounding deconfliction zone is located along the Iraq and JordanSyria border. WASHINGTON (AP) When an Iranian drone struck a U.S. base in northeastern Syria, killing a contractor and wounding several U.S. troops, it was just the latest in a growing number of attacks on. The URL has been copied to your clipboard, VOA Exclusive: Inside a US Military Base in Syria. Support our mission by making a gift today. Eric Schmitt is a senior writer who has traveled the world covering terrorism and national security. 3 farmers were executed on the spot by the ISIS attackers whilst another 26 others were abducted. 22 troops were injured in Syria. Why is the US still there? - Vox Russia argued that the U.S. was holding the refugee camp "hostage" and potentially as human shields within the territory. We successfully pushed ISIS out of the territory it once held, but there are still ISIS members in Iraq and Syria, and we have more work to do.. Oops. And we cant do that if we have a paywall. Why is there no universal way to prevent it? ISISs capacity is significantly degraded, according to Department of Defense Inspector General reports. The Biden administration has told Congress that the 83 separate times since 2021 that the US in Iraq and Syria has come under Iranian-backed militias attacks were too episodic to constitute the kind of ongoing and continuing hostilities that would trigger Congresss constitutional war powers, according to Jacobs. Meanwhile, more than a decade since he brutalized peaceful protests against his regime and officiated over the countrys ongoing civil war, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is still in power. The US and Iranian-backed forces keep coming into conflict in Syria. [99][97], On 25 June, 4 Syrian GID officers were killed and another was seriously injured after insurgents ambushed their vehicle between Tafs and Daraa city.[100]. Spc. Residents arent free to leave, and al-Hol represents a significant legal and humanitarian challenge. The military evacuated 15 of the injured soldiers to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for treatment as of Tuesday evening, with one scheduled to be brought back to the United States for further care, according to a US military . Family identifies Summerville man as US contractor killed in Syria [10], In early 2023, Turkish-backed militias carried out military attacks against Kurdish militias, using tanks and artillery. Please enter a valid email and try again. Reader support helps keep our explainers free for all. China's foreign minister has called on the United States to "respect other countries' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, immediately end the troops' illegal occupation and plundering in Syria. On March 23, an Iranian-backed group sent a drone to a US-led coalition base near the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakah. al-Qaeda is not responsible for ISIS's actions." The United States alleges that Belarus has provided or attempted to provide . The U.S. Department of Defense said Iranian-backed militias were responsible. [76][77], On the same day, 3 Pro-Assad militiamen were killed after ISIS operatives attacked a Syrian military post in the Ma'adan area, south of Raqqa. Syria: 19 killed in retaliatory US strikes on Iran-linked groups 5 people have acquired malariain the US. [57], On 27 February, Syria and Russia released a joint statement again demanding all U.S. forces leave Syria, while also demanding U.S. forces allow Russian and Syrian authorities to evacuate the Rukban refugee camp along the Jordanian border to "relocate people in the Rubkan area and guarantee them safe passage to their places of permanent residence". "Al-Tanf is on the other side of the Jordanian border. He was also the Pentagon correspondent. [73], On 22 May, the Syrian foreign minister Faisal Mekdad announced there would be no normalisation with Turkey until Turkish soldiers left Syria.
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