The US base at Al-Tanf, in Syria’s southern Homs province, has reportedly come under attack by either missiles or a drone. No casualties were reported, and the US Central Command blamed “Iranian-backed militias.”
Reports of the attack appeared online around 10 pm local time on Wednesday, initially mentioning a “suicide drone” and multiple aircraft. A CENTCOM military official told Sky News Arabia that the base was targeted by “missile strikes” and that there were no casualties.
A suicide drone attack against the coalition base in Al-Tanf, #Syria has been confirmed. https://t.co/6sMVMfmYxH
“Initial assessments” suspect “Iranian-backed militias,” but an investigation is ongoing, the official added.
Other reports claimed multiple drones targeted the base, from the direction of the Iraq-Syria border. There was also talk of warplanes striking targets in the surrounding desert, but those appear to be US fighter jets making a sortie in retaliation.
#UPDATEUnconfirmed:—A militia contacted the base of the Global Coalition against Daesh in the Al-Tanf area that it should be evacuated.—An hour later five drones attacked the base.—One drone reportedly entered #Syria from #Iraq.—No casualties. pic.twitter.com/JuWVpKM6e3
Another unconfirmed report said that a militia contacted the US-led Coalition against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and warned of the impending attack, prompting the base’s evacuation.
The base at Al-Tanf was set up in 2016, to train “moderate rebels” against the government in Damascus. Some 200 US troops are reportedly deployed there, in support of the militant group Revolutionary Commando Army (Maghawir al-Thawra).
According to foreign reports, the planned attack was detected by U.S intelligence, which made sure the base be cleared of all personal roughly an hour prior to the attack. (3/3)
The Rukban refugee camp is also located in the area, which borders Iraq and Jordan. Syria has condemned all US troop presence on its soil as an illegal act of aggression.
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