Pro-Government Forces Launch Assault on US-Backed Fighters in Eastern Syria, Resulting in 2 Casualties

QAMISHLI, Syria—Fighters supported by the government of Iran and Syria have launched an assault on regions controlled by fighters backed by the United States in eastern Syria, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals and injuries to others, as reported by the main U.S.-backed force in the country and a monitoring group focused on opposition forces on Wednesday.

The clashes in Deir el-Zour, a province in eastern Syria bordering Iraq, occurred amidst heightened tensions in the region following the recent assassinations of a senior military commander of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in Iran last week. Israel was blamed for both incidents, leading to promises of retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah.

This recent conflict in eastern Syria marks the most significant escalation in nearly a year in areas where hundreds of U.S. troops have been stationed since 2015 to assist in the fight against the Islamic State group.

Syrian government forces and Iran-backed fighters are positioned on the west bank of the Euphrates River in Deir el-Zour, while the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, led by the Kurds, control the eastern banks.

The SDF reported that “Syrian regime-supported mercenaries” initiated attacks on the villages of Dhiban, Latwa, and Abu Hamam late on Tuesday. They mentioned ongoing fighting on Wednesday as they work to stabilize the situation.

Dhiban is located near the al-Omar oil field, which houses a base for SDF fighters and U.S. troops.

The Kurdish-led authorities have imposed a curfew in the areas under their control on the east bank of the river, stating that violators will face legal repercussions.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK and monitoring opposition forces, the SDF has reinforced the area in response to the ongoing conflict.

Both the SDF and the Observatory indicated that the fighting and shelling resulted in two fatalities and five injuries.

Media outlets aligned with the government reported that the attacks were carried out by local Arab tribes against the SDF, resulting in injuries in government-held territories.

Recently, an attack with rockets on a base housing U.S. troops in western Iraq wounded several American personnel.

This attack followed a previous strike near a base belonging to an Iran-backed Iraqi militia southwest of Baghdad, which resulted in the death of at least one militant and injuries to two others.

These recent events occurred after a coalition of Iran-backed Iraqi militias known as “the Islamic Resistance” resumed rocket attacks on U.S. military installations in Iraq and eastern Syria.