A Rukban camp spokesman asserted that it was the Syrians and Russians that were "embargoing" the camp to force the refugees into reconciliation and to pressure U.S. troops to leave the strategically important al-Tanf military base. [50], On 28 March, 3 civilians were killed in an ISIS attack in the rural area of Al-Salamiyah, east of Hama. Thats why, even though advertising is still our biggest source of revenue, we also seek grants and reader support. Referring to the strategy of the withdrawal of American forces from Syria, with the inauguration of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, Washington's policy in Syria was separ. The statement said that 10 of the soldiers had been evacuated to hospitals outside the region and that an inquiry was underway. A U.S. soldier sits in an armored vehicle in Manbij, northern Syria, in 2018. "This is one of the biggest drug busts we have ever had," said Col. Muhanned Tallah, the MaT commander. [45][46], On 23 March, 19 people, including 16 Iranian-backed militiamen and 3 Syrian soldiers, were killed in a set of American airstrikes in the city of Deir ez-Zor and the towns of Mayadin and Abu Kemal. At least another 40 people were also reported missing after the attack. [16][17] In August 2016, the BBC published photographs taken in June that year which it said showed British special forces soldiers apparently guarding the perimeter of the al-Tanf base. America's Presence in Syria Is Riskier Than Ever Iranian-suspected drone strike in Syria kills one U.S. worker; U.S I dont think that there is much reason to believe that America remaining longer there is somehow positioning us for an exit on better terms, or its going to leave Syria in a shape thats more favorable to US interests, Sam Heller, a researcher with Century International, told me. Timeline of the Syrian civil war (2023) - Wikipedia [52], On 31 March, 7 people were killed in smuggling related clashes on the Syrian-Jordanian border in the Jalghim area near Al-Hammad. [30], On 17 February, at least 68 people, including 7 Syrian soldiers , were killed in an ISIS attack on a large group of truffle farmers in the desert near Al-Sukhnah.[31]. [72], On 18 May, a Pro-Assad judge by the name of Munther Othman Al-Salamat was shot dead by gunmen in the town of Izra, Daraa. So we can bomb some and we can kill some, but theyll always replace the people that they lose, he told me. In March, a U.S. contractor was killed and at least six other Americans were injured when Iranian-backed militias launched a volley of rocket and drone attacks against coalition bases. The rapprochement occurred amid a diplomatic push by the Assad government to normalize relations with regional governments that began in February 2023. By Raja Abdulrahim. We will take every measure we have to protect our securitybut arrangements on the other side of the border after withdrawal will have to be agreed by all parties, and they have to ensure the safety and security in the area," Safadi said. Kurilla told Congress that Tehran is building increasingly sophisticated drones, and now has an arsenal that ranges from small, short-range systems to long-range one-way attack platforms.. Why does the US still have forces in Syria? - Al Jazeera The Supreme Court decides not to destroy democracy in the United States. [68], In the early hours of 8 May, Jordanian warplanes launched its first ever airstrikes against targets linked to the Assad government, on a house in the village of Shuab, As-Suwayda. The announcement described it as a "defeat-ISIS exercise". He emphasized that Iran wants to push the US out of Syria and said the mission is worthwhile. The military evacuated 15 of the injured soldiers to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for treatment as of Tuesday evening, with one scheduled to be brought back to the United States for further care, according to a US military . March 23, 2023 WASHINGTON A U.S. contractor was killed and another contractor and five U.S. service members were injured when a self-destructing drone struck a maintenance facility on a. The Biden administration has told Congress that the 83 separate times since 2021 that the US in Iraq and Syria has come under Iranian-backed militias attacks were too episodic to constitute the kind of ongoing and continuing hostilities that would trigger Congresss constitutional war powers, according to Jacobs. [36], On 9 March, amid ongoing insurgent attack in Daraa Governorate, a Syrian Army patrol was ambushed on the Daraa-Damascus highway in southern Syria. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. "[50][51][52], In August 2018, U.S. State Department representative William V. Roebuck traveled to the cities of Manbij and Koban, both situated in Aleppo Governorate, as well as the town of al-Shaddadah in Hasakah Governorate. It was later destroyed by SDF and coalition troops, the SDF said. In an apparent response to those U.S. airstrikes, 10 rockets were fired Friday at a U.S. base known as Green Village. [49] In mid-February 2018, Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, in an exclusive interview with Euronews, said that U.S. military presence in Syria generally and in the area of al-Tanf specifically "was illegal and unacceptable. [72], On 16 May, a Syrian Army vehicle was ambushed by ISIS operatives in the Al-Rasafah desert. US troops in Syria: How many are stationed there - USA TODAY Al-Tanf (U.S. military base) - Wikipedia Almost everyone who reads "American Born Chinese," Gene Luen Yang's groundbreaking graphic novel, is a little afraid of Chin-Kee. A 55-kilometer zone unilaterally created by Americans around their military base near al-Tanf is being used by the scattered units of ISIS militants" for evading pursuit by government forces and re-grouping. Whats going on with Vladimir Putin after the mutiny? [1] The 900 troops in the northeast of Syria and the US garrison at al-Tanf cannot stop a low level of recruitment into ISIS ranks. Spc. Support our mission by making a gift today. In most recent cases, no U.S. forces have been hurt in such attacks. Reports suggest trucks filled with Iranian weapons were the target of the attack. At least 12 of the abductees were executed including a Syrian soldier. [60], On 24 April, 3 militiamen working as part of the IRGC were killed after ISIS militants, on a motorcycle, opened fire on the group in the eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside. The SDF captured the last sliver of land from IS in March 2019, marking the defeat on the battlefield of the extremist group that once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq. The Pentagon said the attacks were meant to send a message to Iran, which the U.S. blamed for a number of drone attacks, including one thattargeted the al-Tanf garrison. Reader support helps keep our explainers free for all. The book is a classic of young-adult literature, threading . As part of that campaign, the US partnered with Kurdish fighters from a semi-autonomous enclave, and to this day supports them, much to the anger of the USs NATO ally Turkey. 4 US troops wounded in Syria raid that killed senior ISIS leader on [80] On the same day, ISIS militants killed a member of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council and injured another 3 in an armed ambush in the Al-Saadah area, north of Deir ez-Zor. In November 2022, airstrikes targeted tanker trucks that crossed from Iraq into eastern Syria. [99][97], On 25 June, 4 Syrian GID officers were killed and another was seriously injured after insurgents ambushed their vehicle between Tafs and Daraa city.[100]. Syrian government forces and allied Iran-backed groups are deployed on the west bank of the Euphrates River in Deir el-Zour, while American troops support their allies, the SDF, largely along the east bank. [13] [14], On 2 January, as part of Israel's continuing strikes against Syrian and Iranian targets, Israeli warplanes conducted several airstrikes on the Damascus International airport, killing 2 Syrian soldiers and temporarily putting the airport out of service. The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, U.S., March 3, 2022, more than a week after Russia invaded Ukraine. [40], On 15 March, the war entered its twelfth year. SDF officials warn. [24], On the same day, 3 Syrian soldiers were killed after ISIS operatives, under the cover of fog, attacked a Syrian Army outpost near the Taqba Airbase. As I said, Jordan will not cross its border. The militiamen had been stripped and slaughtered on the spot, likely by ISIS cells. So she asked Milley about why the conflict doesnt merit more congressional oversight. [36] Shortly thereafter, the Syrian Foreign Ministry released a statement demanding that "the American side must immediately and unconditionally withdraw its military forces that are present on the territory of Syria illegally". US launches Syria strikes after contractor killed, 5 troops wounded, partnering with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Marine Corps considering changes to how it allocates officer jobs, Georgia base tapped to host F-35 fighters as A-10 fleet retires, Deadline looms for vets to get retroactive toxic exposure benefits. Later that day, 6 SNA fighters were killed in an ambush by ISIS operatives in the Tuwainan area of the Raqqa countryside. Any amount helps. President Barack Obama sent Americans to train those rebels to fight ISIS in neighboring countries. Russia, an ally of the Syrian government, is also active in the country, but Washington and Moscow have used a deconfliction phone line in an effort to avoid conflict there. The U.S. strikes targeted eleven bunkers in Deir ez-Zor used to store weapons, according to the United States Central Command. WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. military carried out multiple air strikes in Syria on Thursday night against Iran-aligned groups that it blamed for a drone attack that killed an. The 22 soldiers who were injured in a helicopter accident in northeastern Syria on Sunday were part of the Army's highly secretive Delta Force commando unit, which has previously . The fight continues against Daesh. [12][failed verification] Later, in November 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that US troops were in Syria "only for oil".[13][14][15]. Editors. And we cant do that if we have a paywall. In 2019, President Donald Trump announced that the US would withdraw from Syria. (Sgt. House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops from Syria The legal basis for the US in Syria remains sketchy, and members of Congress want more clarity. Twenty-two American Soldiers Injured in Syria Helicopter - Haaretz Meanwhile, the justification for counter-strikes against Iranian-backed groups falls under the Constitutions Article 2 as a form of self-defense. Tehrans political influence and militia strength throughout the region have created a security concern for the U.S. But its lethality was rare. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found in Casualties of the Syrian civil war. Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said that troops are needed because if you completely ignore and turn your back, then youre setting the conditions for a resurgence.. How to get the names of the U.S. troops over Syria - Quora For years, the U.S. and its coalition allies battled IS in Iraq and Syria, partnering with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The U.S. denied involvement, and an Israeli military official later strongly suggested that Israel was behind the strike. [43], On 20 March, fighters of Ahrar al-Sharqiyah killed 4 ethnic Kurds in the town of Jindires, northern Syria, after opening fire into a crowd celebrating Newroz. That tit-for-tat shows that Syria is where all of the USs muddled policies toward the Middle East collide. US troops are fighting ISIS in Syria. [33], On 27 February, 10 civilians were killed and 12 others were injured by possible remnant ISIS landmines east of Salamiyah. The 10 most seriously injured soldiers were flown to an American medical hospital in Germany, but none of their injuries were life-threatening, the three officials said. [51], On the same day, 3 Syrian soldiers were killed in an ambush by insurgents in the town of Al-Shajara, Daraa. [62], In 2021 it was reported that, according to "Israeli defense sources", al-Tanf continued to host around 350 military personnel and civilians, "including some British and French forces that were described as 'intelligence experts'". On 19 February, just after midnight, 15 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Damascus. Rebels stated that four of their fighters and eight ISIL fighters were killed. All 12 militiamen were found dead in the area in the following weeks. In a March hearing, Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) asked about the need for a formal authorization from Congress permitting US troops there. [79], On 6 June, 4 people of the same family were killed after ISIS operatives attacked a group of grain farmers in the al-Sukhnah desert. No one was injured. The senior US defense official told me that the government of Iraq sent a letter to the UN in 2014 requesting US and international help in response to the terrorist threat from Syria. 5 people have acquired malariain the US. But its lethality was rare. China's foreign minister has called on the United States to "respect other countries' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, immediately end the troops' illegal occupation and plundering in Syria. Sign up for the The code has been copied to your clipboard. Iran has also provided drones to Russia for use in its ongoing war in Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense said Iranian-backed militias were responsible. BEIRUT A helicopter raid by U.S. forces in northern Syria early on Monday early on Monday. Sajjad Qayyum / Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Imaes I take objection to the notion of a forever war, a senior Pentagon official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told me. [22], On 22 January, at least 16 civilians were killed after a damaged house collapsed in the city of Aleppo. Nine-hundred troops, Bidens team argues, is a light footprint and shows that the US has learned from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that a large garrison occupation is a liability. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said the rockets were fired by groups affiliated with Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps, but he stopped short of blaming Tehran for the U.S. deaths and injuries. More than 900 U.S. troops and several hundred more contractors are based in Syria. [94], Later that day, 4 SDF commanders were killed and another 3 were injured after a Turkish drone targeted their military vehicle on a road Al-Qamishly and Al-Malkiya in Al-Hasakah countryside. Sunken boat killing hundreds overshadowed by Titan submersible coverage Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Kareem Chehayeb and Abby Sewell in Beirut and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report. The terrorist group in 2019 was territorially defeated and it is unable to threaten regional security and Coalition homelands, meaning the US interest here has largely been accomplished. But also, it is an enjoyable experience, because we get to see how welcoming the locals are to us, and they're able to share their concerns with us anything that they want us to be aware of that we can potentially help with, Powell told VOA. US helicopter raid in Syria targets an Islamic State leader We believe thats an important part of building a more equal society. The legal and strategic rationale makes the conditions under which the US would depart murky. Despite major gains against IS, U.S. military officials stationed in Syria say their counterterrorism mission has not changed. [1] [2] In early 2023, reports indicated that the forces of ISIS in Syria had mostly been defeated, with only a few cells remaining in various remote locations. NORTHEAST SYRIA, March 4 (Reuters) - The nearly eight-year-old U.S. deployment to Syria to combat Islamic State is still worth the risk, the top U.S. military officer said on Saturday,. In retaliation, U.S. F-15 fighter jets from al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar struck locations near Deir el-Zour, targeting the Iran-backed militias believed responsible for the attack. Are there any USA troops in Syria right now? - Quora As of now, it cannot. But Milley, the countrys top uniformed general, dodged the question. A look at the US military mission in Syria and its dangers Troops to stay put in Syria even as Biden seeks to end America's [25], On 17 June 2017, the Iraqi Armed Forces announced that the Iraqi Army and Sunni tribal fighters, supported by U.S.-led Coalition aircraft, had dislodged ISIL from the Iraqi side of al-Waleed border crossing. Casualties of the Syrian civil war Doctors and medical staff treating injured rebel fighters and civilians in Aleppo Estimates of the total number of deaths in the Syrian Civil War, by opposition activist groups, vary between 503,064 and about 613,407 as of March 2023. [55], On 3 April, a senior ISIS militant, by the name of Khalid Aydd Ahmad Al Jabouri, was killed in an American airstrike in the al-Hasakah countryside. [44], On the same day, 2 NDF militiamen were killed by a landmine whilst combing the desert near Palmyra for ISIS cells. Foreign intervention in behalf of Syrian Rebels. [63], In August 2022, CNN reported that there are approximately 900 US troops in Syria, with most of them split between the al-Tanf base and Syria's eastern oil fields. [57], Between 4 and 6 April, 9 Liwa al-Quds militiamen were killed in attacks by ISIS insurgents in the Homs/Palmyra part Syrian desert[58], On 9 April, at least 9 civilians were killed after their vehicle hit a landmine in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. This attack came 3 days after a large IED explosion killed 2 Syrian soldiers and injured another on the road between Kafr Nassij and Al-Mal, north of Daraa. Meanwhile, the USs close partner Israel bombs Syrian sites without acknowledgment, and Russia is supporting the Syrian regime. [72], On 15 May, ISIS militants fired a rocket at a Syrian military bus in the al-Sukhnah desert, killing 2 Syrian soldiers and a civilian. In response, Biden ordered strikes against three targets connected to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who then retaliated further the next day. U.S. Soldiers Injured in Syria Were Part of Commando Unit In May 2015, Islamic State militants captured the border checkpoint at Al-Tanf, thus obtaining control over the full length of the IraqSyria border. "[44], On 23 October 2019, Maghawir al-Thawra reportedly seized $3.5 million worth of illicit drugs from a smuggler within the DCZ. The strike on Thursday by a small, suicide drone set off a series of retaliatory bombings, and the top U.S. commander for the Middle East, Gen. Erik Kurilla, quickly warned that the U.S. was prepared to launch more attacks if needed. [33][34], In June 2022, Russia carried out airstrikes at the al-Tanf garrison U.S. military base, after first notifying the United States of their intentions. #Altanf", "Attack hits Syria base that houses US troops; no U.S. injuries", "First air-to-air engagement by RAF Typhoon carried out in Syria", "Russia Carries Out Airstrikes On U.S. Base Near Syria's Border With Jordan", "US-led coalition forces repel drone attack near base in Syria", "Syria demands U.S. withdraw forces "immediately" after rocket strike", "Biden orders airstrikes against Iranian-backed groups in Syria following attacks near base holding US troops last week", "U.S. military carries out strike in Syria on Iran-linked targets", "Iran denies any link to targets hit by U.S. in Syria", "Syria clashes leave US soldier wounded and Iran-backed fighters killed", " "" ", "OIR Coalition conducts defeat-ISIS exercise in eastern Syria", " - * ", "Massive $3.5 million drug-bust at At Tanf by Coalition-partnered security force", "Defectors quit last US-backed rebel group in Syria, head for regime territory", "Special Operators In Syria Are First American Unit To Use Computerized Sights On Their Rifles", " - ", // .., , 8 2018 , "Exclusive: US forces 'illegally in Syria' Sergey Lavrov tells euronews", "Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with Euronews channel, February 16, 2018", -, , "US will 'sell out' Rojava Kurds: Hezbollah chief", "Inside the remote U.S. base in Syria central to combating ISIS and countering Iran", "Jordan wont take over Al-Tanf after US withdrawal from Syria", "US pushes NATO allies to join observer force in Syria", "RUSSIA CLAIMS U.S. HOLDING REFUGEE CAMP 'HOSTAGE' TO STAY IN SYRIA AFTER DONALD TRUMP CHANGES HIS MIND AGAIN ON LEAVING", "Displaced Syrians Deny Claims that US Detains Them in Al-Tanf Camp", "CJTF-OIR holds Ambassadors Day at Union III", "US sending 1,000 additional troops to Middle East amid Iran tensions", "Assad Forces Surge Forward in Syria as U.S. Pulls Back", "Drone Attack In Syria May Be Warning Of Things To Come", "First Came ISIS, Then Iran: How the Mission at a U.S. Base in Syria Kept Growing", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Al-Tanf_(U.S._military_base)&oldid=1160355213, This page was last edited on 16 June 2023, at 00:04. First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. Scott Dubis, 52, died in the attack on March 23, according to his family. The continuous thunder of Russian guns pounded the American positions in a burned-out natural gas refinery in eastern Syria. Right now, there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, working as advisers to the Syrian Defense Forces or providing other support to local militias battling the . Julio Hernandez/Army). Residents arent free to leave, and al-Hol represents a significant legal and humanitarian challenge. Family identifies Summerville man as US contractor killed in Syria Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. [23][24] Shortly thereafter, Syrian government forces were reported to continue their advance in a direction the government forces appeared to use advanced Russian-made weapons and were supported by Russian helicopters, according to a report acknowledged on May 26 by the Russian Defence Ministrys media outlet. [30], On the evening of 11 February, at least 75 people were abducted by ISIS in the Palmyra desert in the western Homs countryside. The United States launched airstrikes against Iranian-linked targets in Syria on Thursday after a U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. service members and another contractor were wounded when. Some 900 U.S. troops now . Another 5 civilians were also killed in a separate ISIS attack near the town of Baqrus, in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. [46], On 30 May 2020, the U.S. military published images of special operations forces personnel at al-Tanf training with an advanced Israeli-made Smart Shooter SMASH 2000 "smart" optical sighting system attached to their M4A1 rifles. [18], On 10 January, joint forces of the US-led coalition and forces of the SDF launched a counter-terror operation in the village of Al-Sabaa wa Arbain where 2 ISIS fighters had barricaded themselves inside a house. [59], On 4 June 2019, representatives of more than 30 countries participated in a meeting with the command of Operation Inherent Resolve in Kuwait where the issue of stepping up efforts to fight terrorism in Iraq and Syria was discussed.