ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The US-led international coalition has confirmed that it struck Syrian pro-regime forces near the Syrian border area of Al-Tanf close to Jordan and Iraq.
"[On Wednesday (local time)] the Coalition struck Syrian pro-regime forces advancing in a deconfliction zone near At Tanf posing a threat to US partner forces," the US-led Coalition wrote in a tweet. "This was despite Russian attempts to dissuade pro-regime movement towards At Tanf, Coalition aircraft's show of force and warning shots."
"[On Wednesday (local time)] the Coalition struck Syrian pro-regime forces advancing in a deconfliction zone near At Tanf posing a threat to US partner forces," the US-led Coalition wrote in a tweet. "This was despite Russian attempts to dissuade pro-regime movement towards At Tanf, Coalition aircraft's show of force and warning shots."
The US has been backing the Maghawir and Jaysh al-Thawra fighters in the near the Syria, Jordan, Iraq border. The area is called al-Waleed in Iraq.
“We notified the coalition that we were being attacked by the Syrian army and Iranians in this point and the coalition came and destroyed the advancing convoy,” Reuters quoted Muzahem al-Saloum from Maghawir al-Thawra as saying.
A CNN reporter in Washington that was briefed by US officials said a convoy of 20 pro-regime vehicles was headed toward Al-Tanf on Wednesday vehicles, searching vehicles and buildings along the way. The official claimed that 13 of the vehicles breached the "de-confliction zone" around the base that is the area that the coalition has communicated to the Russians to stay away from.
It was not immediately clear if the strikes hit Syrian government forces or their proxies.
Plans to establish de-confliction zones for Syria were guaranteed by Iran, Russia and Turkey in their most recent peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The Turkish foreign ministry stated the details of the de-confliction zones would be set forth in a working group established between the tripartite.
The talks were also attended by representatives from the United Nations, United States and Jordan.
Prior to Astana on May 2, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the telephone about the possibility of creating “included the discussion of safe, or de-escalation, zones to achieve lasting peace for humanitarian and many other reasons," according to a White House readout.
The de-confliction zones are yet to be brought to a vote in the United Nations security council.
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