WH claims US aggression on Syria aimed at protecting Americans

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Mar 2023 15:46
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The White House's National Security spokesperson alleged that the United States is not seeking conflict with Iran.

White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby speaks to reporters during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, Sep. 13, 2022 (Reuters)

White House National Security Spokesperson, John Kirby, on Friday claimed that US strikes in Syria were aimed at protecting American personnel in the country, where Islamic State (IS) and what he called "Iran-backed militant groups" remain a threat.

In an interview for CNN, Kirby alleged that the United States is not seeking conflict with Iran, adding that Tehran should not be involved in supporting attacks on US facilities, as per US claims.

Missile strikes hit US base in northeast Syria

In a related context, media reports said on Friday that missile strikes targeted a US occupation base in the Al-Omar field, the largest oil field in Syria located in the governorate of Deir Ezzor in the country's northeast.

Earlier, the US military said it carried out "precision airstrikes" in eastern Syria on Thursday in response to an alleged drone attack that killed one American and injured five US service personnel.

A Department of Defense statement claimed that the casualties fell "after a one-way unmanned aerial vehicle struck a maintenance facility on a Coalition base near Hasakah in northeast Syria."

The statement further added that the US intelligence community assesses "the UAV to be of Iranian origin."

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that at the direction of President Joe Biden, he had authorized "precision airstrikes tonight in eastern Syria against facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps."

"The airstrikes were conducted in response to today's attack as well as a series of recent attacks against Coalition forces in Syria by groups affiliated with the IRGC," Austin alleged.

"As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing," he said.

Al Mayadeen correspondent in Syria reported that the US aggression targeted the Rural Development Center and the Grain Center near Deir Ezzor Military Airport.

Our correspondent said there are reports of civilian casualties and that ambulances rushed to the area targeted by the US aggression.

The US has for long employed the alleged "ISIS threat" as a pretext to continue its illegal occupation of northeastern Syrian territories.

US occupation forces frequently loot oil from Syrian gas fields and transport them to other occupation bases in Iraq via illegal crossings.

The #US has built quite a reputation with its thievery skills: After #Iraq and #Afghanistan, it's #Syria's turn to fall victim to US hegemony that feeds on the wealth of other countries. pic.twitter.com/Au1I01GhLF
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 22, 2022

In early March, the US House of Representatives voted against legislation instructing Biden to end the US occupation of the Syrian Al-Tanf region and remove approximately 900 troops.

Currently, the US army and other foreign forces, participating in the so-called "International Coalition", occupy no less than 28 declared military sites in Syria, distributed over three governorates: Al-Hasakah (17 sites), Deir Ezzor (nine sites), and Homs (two sites).