ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran condemned Saturday a series of US missile strikes against Iranian-backed militia groups in eastern Syria that reportedly killed 19 people after Washington accused the forces of a deadly drone attack on US positions.
Iran’s foreign ministry described the attack as “the belligerent and terrorist attack on the American army on civilian targets” while strongly condemning it, saying the US military presence in Syria is “illegal” and doubting America’s presence in Syria on the pretext of fighting the Islamic State (ISIS).
A US contractor was killed and six others were injured when a drone strike targeted a Coalition base near northeast Syria’s Hasaka city on Thursday. The drone was of Iranian origin, according to the Pentagon.
In retaliation, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin authorized “precision airstrikes” against groups affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in eastern Syria after being given the green light by President Joe Biden.
The death toll from the US retaliatory strikes stands at 16 pro-Iran fighters and three Syrian soldiers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor.
While denouncing the US military presence in Syria as “illegal,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in contrast that “Iranian military advisors are in Syria at the request of the Syrian government to help it fight terrorism and they will stand with Syria in promoting sustainable peace, security, and stability.”
The US retaliatory strikes resulted in further rocket attacks by pro-Iran militia groups, SOHR said.
Hundreds of US troops stationed in Syria are part of an international coalition that has fought alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIS.
Tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran playing out in Iraq and Syria have decreased over the past year. In August, US forces launched airstrikes targeting facilities used by Iranian-backed militias in Deir ez-Zor in an attack it said was in retaliation to an attack on a US base.
However, this week’s incident marks the deadliest exchange of strikes between Washington and Iran-affiliated groups in years.
Iran’s foreign ministry described the attack as “the belligerent and terrorist attack on the American army on civilian targets” while strongly condemning it, saying the US military presence in Syria is “illegal” and doubting America’s presence in Syria on the pretext of fighting the Islamic State (ISIS).
A US contractor was killed and six others were injured when a drone strike targeted a Coalition base near northeast Syria’s Hasaka city on Thursday. The drone was of Iranian origin, according to the Pentagon.
In retaliation, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin authorized “precision airstrikes” against groups affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in eastern Syria after being given the green light by President Joe Biden.
The death toll from the US retaliatory strikes stands at 16 pro-Iran fighters and three Syrian soldiers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor.
While denouncing the US military presence in Syria as “illegal,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in contrast that “Iranian military advisors are in Syria at the request of the Syrian government to help it fight terrorism and they will stand with Syria in promoting sustainable peace, security, and stability.”
The US retaliatory strikes resulted in further rocket attacks by pro-Iran militia groups, SOHR said.
Hundreds of US troops stationed in Syria are part of an international coalition that has fought alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIS.
Tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran playing out in Iraq and Syria have decreased over the past year. In August, US forces launched airstrikes targeting facilities used by Iranian-backed militias in Deir ez-Zor in an attack it said was in retaliation to an attack on a US base.
However, this week’s incident marks the deadliest exchange of strikes between Washington and Iran-affiliated groups in years.
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