Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

US Troops In Al-Tanf, Downing of Iranian-Made Regime Drone | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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In this photo taken on Tuesday May 23, 2017, provided by the Syrian anti-government activist group, the Hammurabi’s Justice News, shows a U.S.-backed anti-government Syrian fighter form Maghaweer al-Thawra stands on a vehicle with heavy automatic machine gun, left, next of an American soldier who also stands on his armored vehicle, right, as they take their position at the Syrian-Iraqi crossing border point of Tanf, south Syria. (Hammurabi’s Justice News via AP)


Beirut- The Syrian scene lately witnessed several escalatory messages exchanged between the US, Russia and Iran, pushing Washington on Tuesday to call for more troops to al-Tanf military camp in the southeast of Syria as the US-led International Coalition succeeded to down an Iranian-made drone operated by the regime.

Lt. Col. Muhanad al-Tala, commander of Jaish Maghaweer al Thawra, one of the main US-backed military groups in east Syria, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday that in fact, “the Americans have called for military reinforcements from Jordan to Syria, and have enhanced their military presence in al-Tanf camp” located at the triangle of the Iraqi-Jordanian-Syrian border in southeast the country.

However, al-Tala did not uncover whether those reinforcements were linked to a new military operation in the area.

“Talks were already launched between the US and Russia concerning the need that Iranian-backed militias and regime forces move from the area where they lately advanced in northern al-Tanf to allow us to resume the military operation against ISIS,” al-Tala also said.

Meanwhile, the US-led coalition shut down on Tuesday an Iranian-made drone operated by regime forces, in the second such incident after coalition also shut down on June 8 a pro-regime drone.

“The armed pro-regime Shaheed-129 UAV was shot down by a US F-15E Strike Eagle in northeastern al-Tanf position after it displayed hostile intent and advanced on Coalition forces,” the coalition said.

It added: “This is the same location where another pro-regime UAV dropped munitions near Coalition forces before it was shot down, June 8.”

Later on Tuesday, the coalition issued another statement confirming the killing of the self-proclaimed Grand Mufti of ISIS, Turki al-Binali who is originally from Bahrain.

The Coalition forces announced that al-Binal had been killed in an airstrike launched on Mayadin in Syria’s Deir Ezzor on May 31.