Int’l Coalition Forces Cordon Tanf Base, Amid Divisions in Ranks of Jaysh Maghawir Al-Thawra

A photo distributed by the international coalition to celebrate the appointment of Colonel Farid al-Qassem as the new leader of the Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra armed faction at al-Tanf base on Sunday, October 2, 2022. (International Coalition)
A photo distributed by the international coalition to celebrate the appointment of Colonel Farid al-Qassem as the new leader of the Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra armed faction at al-Tanf base on Sunday, October 2, 2022. (International Coalition)
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Int’l Coalition Forces Cordon Tanf Base, Amid Divisions in Ranks of Jaysh Maghawir Al-Thawra

A photo distributed by the international coalition to celebrate the appointment of Colonel Farid al-Qassem as the new leader of the Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra armed faction at al-Tanf base on Sunday, October 2, 2022. (International Coalition)
A photo distributed by the international coalition to celebrate the appointment of Colonel Farid al-Qassem as the new leader of the Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra armed faction at al-Tanf base on Sunday, October 2, 2022. (International Coalition)

The international coalition forces cordoned off Tanf base in the 55-kilometer deconfliction zone and ordered, via loudspeakers, all fighters, except their forces in the base, to leave without weapons, amid coalition aircraft flights over the area, a war monitor reported on Monday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had previously revealed that international coalition forces announced Farid Hossam al-Qassem as the new head of Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra.

This comes amid a dispute among the faction members in the zone over assigning Qassem to his new post.

Members of Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra, some leaders who rejected Qassem’s appointment and some civil protestors are present at the base.

The international coalition announced on Sunday Qassem’s appointment, replacing Colonel Muhanad al-Tallaa.

However, the faction’s military council immediately announced its rejection of the decision, stressing in a statement that it rejects any foreign intervention in the appointment of its revolutionary leadership.

It further made it clear that Qassem does not belong to Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra faction.

The SOHR reported Monday that protests continue near Tanf base against the coalition’s appointment decision.

Its sources reported several protests in the past few days staged by dozens of civilians and combatants of the armed faction near the coalition’s base that is stationed near the Syria-Jordan-Iraq border triangle in the 55-kilometer deconfliction zone in the Syrian desert.

On the other hand, a large number of civilians and faction members supported the coalition’s decision and rejected reappointing Tallaa, whom they accused of “being involved in many corruption cases.”

On September 29, SOHR sources reported that dozens of residents gathered near Tanf base to protest the coalition’s decision and called on its command to appoint any other officer from the faction instead of Qassem.

On September 27, the war monitor quoted sources as saying that an international Coalition warplane flew over Tanf garrison and broke the sound barrier to disperse the protestors as they approached the base, where US and other Western forces are deployed.



Israeli Strikes Kill 47 People in Eastern Lebanon

Rescuers evacuate bodies of victims from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Nidal SOLH / AFP)
Rescuers evacuate bodies of victims from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Nidal SOLH / AFP)
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Israeli Strikes Kill 47 People in Eastern Lebanon

Rescuers evacuate bodies of victims from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Nidal SOLH / AFP)
Rescuers evacuate bodies of victims from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Nidal SOLH / AFP)

Israeli strikes killed at least 47 people in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, a Lebanese official said.

Bachir Khodr, governor of Lebanon's Baalbek-Hermel province, said at least 47 were killed and 22 wounded in Israeli strikes in the Baalbek region.

Posting on X, he said rescue operations were underway.

Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,583 people and wounded 15,244 in Lebanon since October 2023, with 25 fatalities reported on Wednesday, the Lebanese health ministry said on Thursday.