At least 6 Kurdish fighters are killed in a drone attack on a Syrian base housing US troops

BEIRUT – A drone attack on a base housing U.S. troops in japanese Syria killed six allied Kurdish fighters overdue Sunday, in the primary vital attack in Syria or Iraq for the reason that U.S. launched retaliatory strikes over the weekend in opposition to Iran-backed militias which have been focused on its forces in the area.

The U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces stated Monday the attack hit a coaching flooring at al-Omar base in Syria’s japanese province of Deir el-Zour and accused “Syrian regime-backed mercenaries” of wearing out the attack. No casualties have been reported amongst U.S. troops.

An umbrella workforce of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, dubbed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, launched a video claiming duty for the attack and appearing them launching a drone from an unspecified location.

In overdue January, a drone attack by the same group killed three U.S. troops and wounded dozens extra at a wasteland base in Jordan. The U.S. army introduced dozens of retaliatory moves focused on Iran-backed militant teams in western Iraq and japanese Syria and likewise struck the Houthis in Yemen.

The umbrella workforce has introduced dozens of drone assaults on U.S. army bases and troops in Iraq and Syria, and has referred to as for the withdrawal of American infantrymen from each nations.

The attack comes as tensions flare around the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war, which used to be sparked by means of Hamas’ rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Meanwhile, Britain-based opposition warfare track Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated at least seven SDF fighters have been killed in the attack on Sunday and at least 18 others wounded, some in vital situation. It didn’t say whether or not any U.S. army body of workers have been a number of the casualties.

The attack overdue Sunday got here two days after the U.S. army performed moves in opposition to militant goals connected to Iran in Syria and Iraq.

The SDF stated it has the suitable to answer the attack.

The U.S. army stated it struck four anti-ship missiles on Sunday that have been ready to be fired at vessels in the Red Sea from Houthi rebel-controlled spaces in Yemen.

In a remark early Monday, the U.S. Central Command stated the moves have been in self-defense and got here after forces made up our minds the missiles “presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.”

Sunday’s moves got here a day after the U.S. and Britain introduced a 2nd wave of moves in opposition to the Houthis, supposed to degrade the Iranian-backed workforce’ functions to attack vessels in the Red Sea. The U.S. and Britain stated they hit 36 Houthi goals.

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Associated Press reporter Samy Magdy contributed to this file from Cairo.