Pro-Iranian Factions Suspected of Targeting International Coalition in Eastern Syria

An American patrol in the countryside of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, on Dec. 15 (AFP)
An American patrol in the countryside of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, on Dec. 15 (AFP)
TT

Pro-Iranian Factions Suspected of Targeting International Coalition in Eastern Syria

An American patrol in the countryside of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, on Dec. 15 (AFP)
An American patrol in the countryside of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, on Dec. 15 (AFP)

Two missiles targeted on Wednesday morning the international coalition forces in eastern Syria, without causing any losses, according to the Central Command of the US Army (CENTCOM).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) accused pro-Iranian groups of being behind the attack.

AFP noted that the attack came a day after Iran and its allies commemorated the third anniversary of the assassination of the commander of the IRGC Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, and the deputy head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, in a US raid near Baghdad Airport.

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), said in a statement that the “two rockets targeted coalition forces at Mission Support Site Conoco” in the eastern Deir Ezzor province.”

“The attack resulted in no injuries or damage to the base or coalition property,” it added.

CENTCOM spokesman Joe Buccino said “attacks of this kind place coalition forces and the civilian population at risk and undermine the hard-earned stability and security of Syria and the region.”

For his part, the director of SOHR, Rami Abdel Rahman, accused “pro-Iranian groups of being behind the missile launches, the day after the commemoration of the third anniversary of Soleimani’s assassination.”

US bases in northern and eastern Syria have been repeatedly targeted during the past few months. On Nov. 26, the Coalition Forces at Al-Shaddadi base, south of Al-Hasakah Governorate (northeastern Syria), were targeted in an attack that SOHR suggested was carried out by members of ISIS.

On Nov. 17, two missiles targeted the Green Village base, one of the most prominent coalition bases in eastern Syria, in an attack that the SOHR attributed to pro-Iranian groups.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces and the security units of the Self-Administration intensified operations to chase ISIS cells in northeastern Syria, with the support of the International Coalition.

SOHR said that the intensification of campaign came in response to “the most violent and bloody attack carried out by ISIS cells on Dec. 26, targeting the intelligence prison and security centers in the city of Al-Raqqah.



Russia Says It Hit Military Targets in Ukraine in Response to Attack with Western-supplied Missiles

Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
TT

Russia Says It Hit Military Targets in Ukraine in Response to Attack with Western-supplied Missiles

Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Russian forces hit military targets in Ukraine with long-range high-precision weapons on Friday in response to an attack on Russia's Rostov region this week in which Ukraine used US- and British-supplied missiles, the Russian defence ministry said.
Russia said on Thursday that Ukraine had launched six US-made long-range ATACMs missiles and four British-made Storm Shadow missiles at Russia's southern Rostov region on Wednesday, Reuters reported.