An alleged drone attack by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq killed at least six Kurdish fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) late Sunday (Feb. 4), the first significant attack in Syria or Iraq since the US launched its airstrikes against Iran-backed militias targeting its forces in the Middle East.
The SDF - a Kurdish-led US ally in the region - said on Monday (Feb. 5) that the attack hit a training ground at al-Omar base in Syria's eastern province of Deir el-Zour, where the forces' commando units are trained.
No casualties were reported among US troops deployed in the area, the Associated Press reported.
While the culprit of the drone attack has yet to be identified, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed militia in the area, claimed responsibility for it, showing them launching a drone from an unspecified location.
Heightened Activity in the Middle East
In late January, three US military personnel were killed after a drone allegedly by the Islamic Resistance flew while a US drone was still airborne, confusing drone operators at the time.
In retaliation, US airstrikes targeted Iran-backed militant groups in western Iraq and eastern Syria and also struck the Houthis in Yemen.
In a statement early Monday, the US Central Command said that the strikes were in self-defense and came after forces determined the missiles "presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region."
The SDF initially accused "Syrian regime-backed mercenaries" of carrying out Sunday's attack, but has since revised the suspicion to "Iran-backed militias" after investigating the attack.
Meanwhile, the UK-based opposition war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that at least seven SDF fighters were killed in Sunday's attack and 18 others wounded, some of them in critical condition.
